Duer Pierce Jr., 99, of Kennett Square, died Saturday, Nov. 15, at Linden Hall- Friends Home in Kennett Square. He was the husband of the late Norma Louise Fetty Pierce, with whom he shared 46 years of marriage, and the late Edna Bennett Pierce, with whom he shared 25 years of marriage. Born in Kennett Square, he was the son of the late Augustus Duer Pierce Sr. and the late Beatrice Nute Pierce.
With his brother, Donald Pierce, Bud started The Financial House in Centreville, Del. He was dedicated to his clients and didn’t retire until he was 92. His favorite quote was, “Success is never owned. Success is rented, and the rent is due every day!
Bud was a dedicated Penn State Alumna, graduating in 1950 with a degree in Animal Husbandry. It was there that he met his first wife, Norma Louise Fetty. He was a member of Penn State’s Soccer & Lacrosse Teams, where he lettered in Lacrosse his senior year. With his love for Penn State Lacrosse, he established a lacrosse scholarship.
Faith, family, friends, and a lifetime commitment of hard work while serving his community were at the center of Bud’s life. He was a long-time member of the Kennett Square Lions Club and served on numerous boards, including the Kennett High School Board. A highlight of his life was running with the Olympic Torch after being nominated as a “community hero” by the United Way of Chester County.
Bud and his second wife, Edna, enjoyed wide travel in the U.S. and abroad, and, closer to home, to Penn State football games. Edna felt blessed to have been married to such a supportive and wonderful partner.
Bud’s surviving family include his son, A. Duer Pierce, III; his daughters, Felice Ann Pierce and Laurie Pierce Lincoln; and his wife, Edna’s children, Karl E. Bennett & Kristin Anderson Bennett; Linda Bennett Frick & Charles J. Frick, Jr; David E. Bennett; Susan Bennett Hoopes & Albert Winner; Carol I. Bennett; and Alice Bennett Messick; 15 beloved grandchildren; 10 adored great-grandchildren; as well as many dear cousins, nieces, and nephews.
You are invited to visit with Bud’s family and friends from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the Episcopal Church of the Advent, 401 N. Union St. Kennett Square, PA 19348. His Life Celebration Memorial Service will follow at 10:30. Interment will be held privately. In honor of Bud’s Penn State pride, please dress in your favorite blue and white outfit or your nicest Penn State attire. Contributions in his memory may be made to Kennett Education Foundation to continue funding of the scholarship in Bud’s name, The A Duer “Bud” Pierce Jr. Award. https://www.kennetteducationfoundation.org/fund-a-scholarship
Arrangements are by his longtime Penn State friend and Blue Band Trumpeter, Matt Grieco, of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-734-8100) of Kennett Square. To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.griecofunerals.com.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
