John Pierce

Funeral Services for long time Nowata resident John W. Pierce will be held 10:00 a.m., Friday, August 8, 2014, at Hillside Christian Church with Ben Killion and Van Longbons officiating. Interment will follow at Nowata Memorial Park Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Benjamin Funeral Service, of Nowata. Online condolences may be left at www.honoringmemories.com John W. Pierce was born September 1, 1918, in Limon, Colorado to Jack and Lizzie (Stevens) Pierce. He passed from this life August 2, 2014 at Jane Phillips Nowata Health Center. He was 95 years old. He lived in eastern Colorado in a sod house until moving to Nowata area at the age of 5. He attended Elm Bend Country Schools and on August 3, 1942 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. John served in Riverside, California as a Military Police Officer and then went to Europe. His decorations include; WWII Victory Ribbon; Good Conduct Medal; EAME Theater Ribbon; One Silver Service Star and American Theater Ribbon. His date of separation was November 28, 1945. Every year he enjoyed going to the Veterans Day assembly at Nowata High School and was one of the oldest WWII veterans there. John worked in the oil fields as a driller and on October 27, 1949 he married Virginia Brannan in Nowata, Oklahoma. They were married 59 years. He then went to work at the Nowata Post Office from 1961 until his retirement in 1978. John and Virginia eventually built a house in the Elm Bend community of Nowata, where John had also lived as a child. He and Virginia had a daughter and son. He and Virginia spent a lot of time at Bernice Point fishing and spending time with many friends. In his younger days he enjoyed hunting, fishing and taking care of his cattle. He also played dominoes every Saturday night for years with family and friends. John enjoyed wiener roasts at his house with his family. His grandchildren thought he could fix anything that they happened to break and he spent many hours in his shop repairing things that should have been thrown away. He made sure that all grandchildren and great-grandchildren had new red wagons- as recent as last week. He was a member of the Hillside Christian Church since the early 1950's. Preceding John in death are his parents Jack and Lizzie Pierce; his wife Virginia; granddaughter Lori Kiser Acuff; his siblings Otis Pierce, Kellis Pierce, Lela (Pierce) Collier, Beulah (Pierce) Collier, Dot (Pierce) Epperson, as well as an Infant sister in Colorado. Survivors of John include his daughter Linda and husband Gary Kiser of Nowata, his son Johnnie and wife Jenifer Pierce of Nowata, Grandchildren Dusty and wife Heather Kiser of Wann, Ok; Julie and husband Luke McDonnell of New Castle, IN; Johnna and husband Jay Warden of Calumet, OK; the late Lori Acuff and surviving husband Terry Acuff of Nowata, OK; Great grandchildren: Braden, Cayman, Brylee and Coyle Kiser, Johnnie Anne and Raynee McDonnell, Hollis Acuff and Clara Warden; brother Bill Pierce and wife Margie of Bartlesville, OK; many other relatives and a host of friends.

Visitation Details

Monday, August 4th, 2014 2:00pm - 5:00pm, Benjamin Funeral Home

Tuesday, August 5th, 2014 8:00am - 5:00pm, Benjamin Funeral Home

Wednesday, August 6th, 2014 8:00am - 9:00pm, Benjamin Funeral Home

Thursday, August 7th, 2014 8:00am - 9:00pm, Benjamin Funeral Home

Service Details

Friday, August 8th, 2014 10:00am, Hillside Christian Church

Interment Details

Nowata Memorial Park Cemetery