A Tribute to Richard J. Peirce, 1940-2007

A Tip of the Hat to a DML HP

Long time DML subscriber Dick Peirce was a devoted fan of paleontology and dedicated much of his life to furthering the science. He was spotlighted in the August 2007 issue of Museum Times, the newsletter of The Museum of Western Colorado. In Currie et al. (2003) he was acknowledged as the discoverer of a sauropod footprint with skin impressions. May he always be as happy as he was at the moment of that discovery...

Photo: Mary Kirkaldy

From his wife Nancy we learned Dick battled non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma for five months before succumbing. She says:

[H]e never complained, except to say that he was bored.

[...]

He really enjoyed his life here in Grand Junction where he volunteered at the Museum of Western Colorado. He loved sorting and preparing microvertebrate fossils. Going on field trips and searching for fossils also brought him great joy. He was a kind and loving husband, and I will miss him greatly.

The following is a collection of comments made by people to either the DML or the VRTPaleo mailing list.

Dick Peirce passed away Dec. 17 in Grand Junction, CO, due to complications from a previous surgery. Dick taught biology at Pasadena Community College for more than 30 years. He was an enthusiastic member of SVP, a seven-year volunteer at the Museum of Western Colorado, and specialized in picking, sorting, and preparing microvertebrate fossils. Over the years, Dick was very active in collecting at the Fruita Paleo Area, Como Bluff, and the Black Hills, where he would spend many hours breaking rock in search of mammals, lizards, sphenodontids, and other less glamorous members of the Morrison fauna. A memorial service will be held sometime in the spring of 2008. Letters and thoughts to be passed on to his wife Nancy may be sent to the Museum of Western Colorado, 550 Jurassic Court, Fruita, Colorado 81521.

John Foster

I'm truly sorry. Dick Peirce was always a jolly presence at all the SVP's I have attended. His enjoyment of life was always evident and contagious (I even proposed that he publish his memories of each of the meetings. A few of us had the privilege of always - traditionally- getting a copy of his reports... every year). No SVP field trip will be the same after this.

He will be sorely missed.

Luis Rey

I am truly sorry to hear this. Dick will be terribly missed. Dick was always so up-beat and super friendly at all the SVP meetings I've attended. He always had wonderful things to share with all of us, especially at our DML breakfasts. My sympathies to all his family and friends.

Todd Marshall

Dick always came to our DML breakfasts, camera in hand, with photos from previous years to show. His ever-present Gen. Montgomery beret made him stand out in the SVP crowd, along with his friendly demeanor and obvious enthusiasm for all things to do with paleontology. The last few years, he brought a voice recorder with him and could be seen "talking to himself" about happenings at the meetings. Dick always generously shared these observations/meeting histories, and I know that he donated a number of his meeting pictures to the SVP archives.

My heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Nancy. He will be missed.

Mary Kirkaldy

Oh My God!

I am truly grieved by the news of Dick's passing! Dick was enthusiastically supportive of my nascent research with the Arundel fauna and continued to be an enthusiastic supporter ever since! Dick would, often unbeknownst to me or without my asking, serve as my eyes and ears by sending me very detailed notes on a number of conferences and meetings that I was unable to attend! On more than one occasion his missives seemed to arrive, "out of the blue" at just the right time. I even have a separate file folder with his name on it! His writing, his almost boyish (in a good way of course), enthusiasm and passion for the sciences were always very evident in him, both in person as well as in text form as was his 'joies de vivre'.

Now he is in a better place and likewise assumes his deserved place along with and likewise epitomized by the late great Nick Hotton, John Ostrom, and Charles Repenning-.on the Pantheon of the archetypal "Gentleman & Scholar" of yore; -All of whom, I have been honored to have met and known in my pursuit of knowledge. And as with these men. I was privileged to have known Dick and am diminished by his passing!

Thomas R. Lipka

May he run at the Bridge with all of the other saurs and all of their cousins and their descendents.

Roberta M Meehan

I knew Dick pretty well. We are both ex-patriot Southern Californians, and shared some stories about living on the West Coast. I remember him telling me about teaching for many years, then retiring to Fruita. Dick attended several of our meetings, participated in digs, and attended the Prehistory week shin digs that were held here in Price, many times. He always had a smile to go along with his camera and beret.

Our condolences go out to his friends and family.

Cliff Green

During his last three months, Dick and Nancy were assisted by a caregiver, Karen Sopko. Shortly before Dick’s passing she composed a poem for them and we reproduce it here with permission:

You have waged so many battles as a warrior,
And fought them all with dignity and grace.
While we wandered through the front lines of tears,
You brought us back with each smile on your face.

The bright light you once were has dimmed
And with it our hopes have sometimes wavered.
The wish for the past that was, the future that could be
While the present are the moments to be savored.

The questions we all constantly ask you
Are for the answers that are locked in your mind.
They are all part of your life’s great puzzle
Be patient... they are pieces we will find.

And when you’ve decided to fight your last battle
When the time comes, please let us all know.
And we’ll remember the man we knew and loved.
With respect and admiration, we will let you go.

With the utmost and most deep felt emotion, this will be my final goodbye to a most courageous and delightful gentleman...

Mr. Dick Peirce

A short obituary for Dick can be found at the website for the Grand Junction Free Press.