Keith Duan Pierce

The Reverend Keith Duan Pierce joined his beloved Beauty Queen, Sallie, at the throne of his Lord on February 9, 2015 at the age of 95. He was born on September 9, 1919 to loving parents, Leslie Clarence Pierce and Ethyl Beatrice Pierce. He had an older sister, Mabel Iona, and brother, Dwight Jacob, who preceded him in death. His birthplace was St. Francis, Kansas where he was an ambitious boy who kept busy with various projects. He ran a lemonade stand in front of the mill where his father worked and he sold cosmetics door to door. Keith finished high school in McPherson, Kansas and went on to McPherson College where he majored in music. He played trombone in the band and sang in the A Capella Choir. Upon graduation he joined the Army and proudly served his country during World War II as a medic in a hospital in France. He returned unharmed at the end of the war on the Queen Mary to resume his life as the husband of Sarah Jane Olwin Pierce and father of his first of three children, Mary Jane. Later, John Keith and Vicki Lynn were added to complete the family.

The early years of their 67 year marriage were spent in Nebraska where Keith was a school teacher. Later, he was ordained to the gospel ministry after attending Phillips University in Oklahoma and served several churches, the longest of which was here in El Paso, at First Christian Church as Associate Minister of Music and Youth. Keith was passionate about bringing out the best in people. He was a lifetime optimist, always seeing the positive in any situation. He was an official member of the Optimist International organization, joining the local Optimist Clubs wherever he lived. He held every office in the organization, some more than once. He loved the outdoors and took his family on many adventurous camping trips. He was an avid fisherman. He never caught very many but he always enjoyed the experience nonetheless. Keith loved his family very much and was always up for a domino game, even to the very end. He also cherished the times when extended family came in and we all joined in a rousing game of Hand & Foot. He will always be remembered by many for his beautiful bass voice as he loved to sing in choir, barbershop quartet, solos and leading the Doxology.Keith is survived by his daughter, Mary Jane Shockley, son, John Pierce and wife, Diane, and daughter, Vicki Callaway, eight grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren, and two great, great grandchildren. Also, one sister-in-law, Lena Belle Mullen, and several nieces and nephews. The number of friends and those whose lives he touched cannot possibly be counted. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to Susan and Tony Perez of Angeles de El Paso for their loving care in his final days. A celebration of his wonderful life will be held on February 24, 2015 at the First Christian Church, 901 Arizona, and El Paso, TX. Visitation will begin at 10:30 am with Memorial Service at 11:30 am. Interment will follow at 1:00 pm at Ft. Bliss National Cemetery.Memorial gifts may be sent to: National Glaucoma Research, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871American Diabetes Association, PO Box 13066, Alexandria, VA 22312-9825