Charles Edwin (Charlie) Pierce

Iredell, Charles Edwin (Charlie) Pierce, 81, died Thursday, July 7, 2011 at his residence. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Sunday at Stephenville Funeral Home Chapel, with Marvin "Happy" Toler officiating. Burial: Duffau Cemetery in Erath County. Visitation will be 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Saturday at the funeral home Charles Edwin (Charlie) Pierce was born on July 26, 1929 in Fort Worth to August W. (Gus) Pierce and Edla Matilda Johnson Pierce. He attended Fort Worth Public Schools and graduated from Paschal High School. He continued his education at UT and graduated with a degree in Electrical Engeeering. He began his working career at an early age, washing the service vehicles at Ashe Electric, where his father was the secretary/treasurer. At the age of 15 he began to work at General Electric in the warehouse and eventually was the backup for almost everyone there for vacations. He worked there during the summer months and breaks but also worked in Austin at various jobs to help pay college tuition. After graduation from college he began to work for Westinhouse and worked there until 1959. At this time he retired to the family farm and worked there for three years. Charles was a registered Professional Engineer in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico. He was a member of Iredell First United Methodist Church. He came back out of retirement to work for R.S> Woodruff and Associates in 1962 until 1973. In 1973 Charles and Kay Cornelius formed Cornelius-Pierce Consulting Engineers. Charles retired again in 1989. This partnership started in Kay and Nancy's garage because they did not want to go into debt for a building, Nancy was the office manager for Charlie and Kay. Charles was known as Charlie by most of his associates. He was well liked by the Electric Cooperatives he served and was known as an excellent Consultant in his field. He provided practical, technical, detailed and common sense advice on many and any project they gave him. Charles was an excellent partner and friend to Kay Cornelius. As Kay recalls, Charlie liked to watch little children and he liked to shop for bargains. Kay says Charlie had a memory like an elephant and enjoyed eating. Charles was a good farmer/rancher. He enjoyed working the land. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gus and Edla, and a brother Warren. Charles in survived by his wife, Joann, sister-in-law, Ruth Pierce, nephew A.W. Pierce and Sheila, niece, Jana Hamman and Jim, great-nieces, Kimberly Pierce and Janae Hamman, great-nephews, Blake Pierce and Jared Hamman, two step-sons, Harold Davis and Dee Anna Stafford, Lane C. Davis, 3 step-grandsons, step-granddaughter, and one great-step-great-grandson. He is also survived by like a son Lonnie and Ginger Gatewood. Numerous other relatives and friends, too many to name.