Nelson Cole Pierce Jr.

Nelson Cole Pierce Jr. was born to Nelson Cole Pierce Sr. and Helen Temby on January 10th, 1925, in Shelton, Washington. Nelson attended Capital Paige School, and after graduating he attended American University. He was then drafted into the U.S. Army where he served as a Truck Driver Light 345 in England, Northern France, and Germany in the 1940's during World War II at the headquarters battery 753rd field artillery battalion. After Nelson returned from the service he was performing in a play when he re-connected with a beautiful young woman from his high school named Caroline Linkins. Caroline was helping him apply make-up for the production. One lipstick correction later they began dating and were married on June 2, 1948. After quickly building a family of four and with the assistance of Mr. Rodger's, Nelson began a position at the White House where he served 6 presidents; President's Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan. As a White House usher he did a "little bit of everything" to ensure the first families had any and everything they needed. He managed the daily operations of the 97-person staff and the 132-room White House while trying to remain invisible.

Nelson's career at the White House was packed full of amazing memories like when he helped Caroline Kennedy learn how to do a somersault, read stories to John-John Kennedy, tuned Amy Carter's violin and helped build her tree house, filled in for President Johnson during Linda's Wedding rehearsal, announced the Presidents' entry, and put together a train set for Ronald Reagan. There were also some not so entertaining memories like the famous moment with Nancy Regan's dog Rex, and the tragic call he placed to lower the flag to half-mast after President Kennedy's death. Nelson has been quoted in numerous novels about his service in the White House like: The First Family Detail and Inside the White House By Ronald Kessler; Ask What You Can Do for Your Country: The Memory and Legacy of John F. Kennedy by Daniel B Fleming and Mary McGory; Reflections on the Life, Assassination, and Legacy of John F. Kennedy by Dean R. Owen; the TV movie documentary: White House Revealed and the many Smithsonian and CNN White House features.

After retiring on January 3rd, 1987 with 26 years of service from the White House, Nelson or more affectionately known as "Bumpa" continued to serve the community by bringing the history of the White House to the people through public speaking engagements on the mall and on TV, volunteering and singing in the senior choir at the Palisades Community Church. Nelson also spent countless hours providing love, encouragement, and care to his many grandchildren, picking them up from school, teaching them putt-putt golf, sharing his love for trains, nurturing them back to health, serving as a pillar of his family and the community, as an outstanding husband, father and grandparent.

Nelson is survived by his beloved wife Caroline Linkins Pierce, caring sister Dorothy Schuetze and devoted children Nelson Cole Pierce III (Butch) and wife Barbara Pierce, Kenneth (Kep) Pierce, Sharon Pierce, and Laurie and husband Norval Wright, grandchildren Wendy and husband John Law, Carl and wife Doris Pierce, Shannon Wright, Shawna and her husband Lorenzo Walker Sr., Chad and Nicole Pierce, Chris Varnau and girlfriend Angel, Tina Pierce and boyfriend Jeremy, great grandchildren Debbie and husband Brad Willson, John Thomas (JT) Law, Casey Kyle, Erin Kyle, Colin Pierce, Lorenzo T. Walker Jr., Isaiah Pinson, Brandy L. Walker, Emily M. Wright, Jalen Walker, Christopher Varnau Jr., Taylor Varnau, Waylon Varnau, Jaxson Pickering, and great-great grandchildren Layla Willson and Savannah Kyle and many other relatives and friends.

Iin lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Palisades Community Church, 5200 Cathedral Ave NW, Washington, D.C., DC 20016; phone:(202) 966-7929.

Video of Mr. Pierce: http://www.c-span.org/video/?292290-1/working-white-house-panel-discussion

A 1933 newspaper clipping featuring Mr. Pierce: http://goo.gl/Oef1fu