Horace Pierce

Horace Leon Pierce Jr. passed peacefully from this life on Sunday, July 11, 2021, in the Chambersburg Hospital, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, from cancer-related causes. He was born on Jan. 12, 1929, in Suffolk, Virginia. He was the only child of Hattie Marie (Archer) Pierce and Horace Leon Pierce Sr. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Alfred Kirkley Pierce and Sarah Allen (Cooper) Pierce and maternal grandparents, Nettie Viola (Ely) Archer and John Bunyan Archer and granddaughter, Sarah Elizabeth Pierce.

Horace was the loving husband of Stell Delk Pierce and they shared 71 wonderful years of married life on June 11 of this year.

Horace is survived by his wife, Stell; two children, Glenn Thomas Pierce and wife, Sandy (Fisher) Pierce, of Selbyville, Delaware and Sandra Pierce Nelson and husband, Charles (Chuck) Nelson of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. They have four grandchildren: Jennifer (Pierce) Thomas, Ryan Thomas Pierce, Joshua Bradley Nelson and Kate (Nelson) Tucker. They also have three great-grandchildren; Hattie Nelson, Kylah Nelson and Jaxson Tucker.

Horace attended elementary school in Suffolk and graduated from Suffolk High School in the class of 1946.

After graduating from high school, he attended Saint Helena Extension of the College of William and Mary before going to work for the Virginia Department of Highways. He received an offer from Russell and Holmes Shoe Store to manage the Franklin store, where he would remain for the next 20 years.

After 20 years serving his shoe customers, Horace began a career with the Franklin Redevelopment and Housing Authority. For the next 20 years he would work tirelessly to help meet the housing needs of the citizens of Franklin, retiring in 1989.

During these years he became a respected businessman, a leader in the community and a leader in his church.

Following his retirement, he and Stell spent many years traveling and enjoying their home at the Outer Banks.

Horace was incredibly involved and held offices in a wide variety of civic organizations, a few of which were Franklin Southampton Chamber of Commerce, Franklin Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees), Kiwanis Club, Southampton Memorial Hospital Volunteers and the Virginia Board of Elections. Franklin Baptist Church was very dear to him. As a member for 70 years, he served in many of the church’s leadership positions, taught Sunday School and served as a deacon.

He will be greatly missed by friends and family.

There will be a celebration of life service on Aug. 2, 2021, in the fellowship hall of Franklin Baptist Church at 2 p.m. Arrangements are entrusted to the Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Memorial contributions may be made to Franklin Baptist Church, 208 N. High Street, Franklin, VA 23851 or Menno Haven Benevolent Fund, 2011 Scotland Avenue, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 17201.