Charles Richard Bierce

2/11/1944 to 12/26/20/23, age 79

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of C. Richard Bierce. Rich was a beloved husband to Violet for 56 years, brother to Rose Bierce of Alexandria, Virginia, and Bill Bierce (deceased). He is also survived by two sons and their families: Jonathan and Hillary and their sons, Grant and CJ, and Matthew and Diana Alkire and their son, Victor Bierce.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, January 20, at 11 a.m. at First Christian Church, 740 E. Speedway. http://www.firstchristianchurchtucson.org. Another service will be held in northern Virginia in March.

Rich was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, to Charles Burgess Bierce and Darrelldine Devaul Amelang Bierce. His family moved to Tucson in the 1950’s. He attended Sam Hughes Elementary School, Mansfeld Jr. High and Tucson High School (Class of 1962). He graduated from the University of Arizona School of Architecture in 1967. He earned his M.A. from Columbia University in 1968 and then served in the Peace Corps with Violet in Brazil until December 1970.

He worked as a Historical Architect and Preservation Consultant in Alexandria, Virginia for 38 years. He retired to Tucson in 2018. He was always a volunteer. With the Disciples of Christ churches, he served as a congregational Leader at Springfield Christian, First Christian in Alexandria, the Capital Area Region and Disciples of Christ Historical Society. Since moving back to Tucson, he has been a member of First Christian Church.

He received many awards for his work in historical architecture, including, in 2017, the Award for Distinguished Achievement from the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects. The award citation praised him as a “quintessential historical architect…and a citizen architect who generously shares his expertise.”

He was passionate about his family, friends, the justice work of his church and the preservation of historic places and God’s creation. He saw modern architecture as the heritage of the future and worked to preserve various types of properties, from the Frank Lloyd Wright house at Woodlawn, Virginia to James Madison’s home in Montpelier, Virginia. He managed historical research and architectural restoration of Gadsby’s Tavern in Alexandria. The Gadsby hotel, tavern and dining room once were patronized by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, among others.

Before starting his private practice, he became the first Alexandria Historical Resources Director in 1976. After leaving city government he served as the Architect for the Properties for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and was a consultant for Historic Annapolis, Maryland for 20 years. He volunteered for the Architectural Review Board of Fairfax County for 33 years. He taught and mentored preservation students at various colleges. His consultant work brought him in touch with many homes and public buildings throughout the country.

From 2019 to 2023, Rich served on the Tucson High Badger Foundation Board as endowment chair, focusing on raising funds for scholarships. He was inducted into the Badger Foundation Hall of Fame in 2021.

He enjoyed quotations from Ambrose Bierce, photography, New York Times crossword puzzles, bossa nova, jazz and classical music.

Memories may be shared online at the Dignity Memorial/East Lawn Palms of Tucson site. In lieu of flowers, Rich would be honored by donations in his name to any of the causes he believed in -- the Tucson High Badger Foundation scholarship fund or any humanitarian or environmental group of your choice.