Albert A. Pierce Jr.

Albert “Al” A. Pierce, Jr., 81, of Henderson, NV, died Saturday, February 17, 2024 at the Henderson Hospital. Graveside services will be held at 1:00 pm Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Erie Cemetery, Erie, IL. A Celebration of Life will take place on Friday, April 5, 2024 at 11:00 AM at the Green Valley Presbyterian Church, 1798 Wigwam Pkwy in Henderson, Nevada with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, Al would encourage you to give the money to a charity of your choice.

Al was born November 2, 1942 in Elizabeth, NJ, the son of Albert A. Pierce, Sr. and Helen M. (Cox) Pierce. He married Mary Louise Finnicum on July 1, 1966 at the First Methodist Church in Elgin, IL. He graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. After graduating, Al went on to serve his country in the United States Army.

Al was a great man and touched many hearts throughout his life. He learned Japanese in the military and utilized that (and his admirable charm and mind) to work his way up through many different jobs in the international shipping industry after the war.

Al and Mary’s passion was raising three very different children well, traveling the world in their retirement, spoiling their grandchildren and befriending almost everyone they ran into in their travels. They were both dedicated Christian church members at various congregations throughout the world. Al was an avid reader, and spent as much time outside sun-tanning at home or on the beach as he did traveling to places that had beaches, and when not traveling for work, he loved just being at home and being a dad.

While he had some significant health issues relating to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, smoking on and off for many years, and a good amount of lavish living, he contracted Covid almost exactly one year ago in February 2023. The very serious case of Covid had him in hospital and after-care for 40 days which inevitably and dramatically weakened his already fragile state at the time. He never really fully recovered.

“Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it.”

― Haruki Murakami, contemporary Japanese writer.

Al is survived by his wife of 57 years Mary Louise Pierce; children, Heather Pierce of Sherwood, OR, Jason Andrew Pierce of Oakland, CA, Jared John and Tanya Pierce of Henderson, NV; Tanya’s mother Diana Gujer of Henderson, NV; a son-in law Ronald Ridehalgh of Sherwood, OR; three grandchildren Xander, Marcus and Rune, as well as two of his older sisters Virginia DeGrishe of Sun City Center, FL, and Patricia Jeffers of Quincy, IL. He is preceded in death by his other two sisters Phyllis Finfgeld and Ruth Farley. Share a memory or condolence at www.gibsonbodefh.com