Leonard Lee Pierce

Leonard Lee Pierce was born to James Leonard Pierce and his friend John (female) Storey Pierce at the family home in Paduka, Texas on September 1l , 1932. When he was five years old, the family moved to Antlers, Oklahoma where his father became a partner in Pierce Brothers Store. They lived there until his father passed away at the age of 32 and his mother married Warren R. Neil. The family moved to Spokane, Washington. Warren owned a trucking company in Valdeza, Alaska and his mother owned a store in Antlers, Oklahoma. They agreed to sell and move no farther than Spokane. They bought a detailing business in Spokane and they lost it when the owner sold the building out from under them. They then moved to Colfax, Washington and bought a Goodyear Tire Store. Leonard worked at the Neil Tire (Goodyear) store and repaired tires as well as going out in the fields and repairing combine tires. He was excellent in high school football and track. He won Little All American in football when he attended Eastern Washington.

Leonard joined the Coast Guard and served four years during the Korean War. He returned to eastern Washington and married his college sweetheart. They had two sons, Leonard Lee Pierce II and John Wesley Pierce. The family moved to Colfax and worked at the tire store until he went to work for Allstate Insurance as an agent and then became claims manager in the Seattle office. Most of his career was spent in insurance in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. He was claims manager for General Accident and several other companies.

He married Mary Pfaff, of Portland, Oregon, in 1973 in an outdoor ceremony at the family ranch in Joyce. Shortly thereafter they moved to Steptoe, then St. John, Washington. They relocated to Port Angeles in 1978 where he continued his insurance claims business.

Leonard and Mary ultimately moved to the family ranch to help his mother-in-Iaw after his father-in-law passed away.

Leonard and Mary owned and operated the Joyce General Store, Joyce Art & Antiques and the Joyce Fitness Center. Leonard and Mary enjoyed their many local customers and tourists and took time to educate tourists about the history of Joyce.

Leonard is survived by his sons Wes Pierce and wife Barbara of Everett and Lee II Pierce of Chicken, Alaska. Also surviving are grandson, William Pierce of Everett and brothers-in-law, James Pfaff and wife Sheila, Richard Pfaff and wife Margaret, Diane Pfaff wife of Roland Pfaff (deceased) and nephew Jason Pfaff and nieces Ann Elizabeth Pfaff, Rebecca Pfaff and Catherine Pfaff, as well as numerous close cousins.

He was predeceased by his wife Mary F. Pfaff-Pierce,  ex-wife Gail A. Pierce, parents, grandparents and brothers Jack Pierce,  Russ Neil and brother-in-law Roland Pfaff.

He will have a Coast Guard Burial at Sea. At his request, there will be no formal funeral or memorial service. Any gathering will be at the discretion of his family and friends.

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