Richard Dean Pierce Sr. passed away Monday, Nov. 7, 2022. He was 79 years old.

Rick was born on Nov. 28, 1942, in the back seat of a cop car in Portland. He contracted polio at the age of 10 months. His childhood was spent in and out of Shriners Hospital in Portland. He walked with leg braces until one day when he discovered crutches from a friend who had broken his leg. He tried out his friend’s crutches and said: “Yep that’s what I want; I like these crutches.” He ditched the leg braces and walked with crutches for the rest of his life until his later years, when he became too weak to use them, and went into a motorized power chair.

Rick’s childhood was spent growing up in Canyon City and John Day. He went to Grant Union High School in John Day and finished his senior year in Crane, where he graduated in 1960. Rick married Bertha Chrisley in 1964 in Winnemucca, Nev.; they had a daughter, Sonja, born in 1965, and a son, Richard Jr., born in 1966. Rick started serving the Lord in the early 70s and went to Bible college (ABI) in St. Paul, Minn., and graduated in 1975. 

He returned to Oregon and moved with his family to Burns. He eventually moved to John Day, and started a church where he pastored for three years. In 1986 he moved to Klamath Falls, and went into sign language interpreting for the deaf. He continued that for many years, until the early 2000s, when he finally retired.

Our dad loved the Lord and loved people. He never complained about his ailments and always had a smile. He made many trips to Burns, to visit his brother and sister. We love and miss our father so much!! Life will never be the same without him. 

He is survived by his daughter, Sonja Morris and husband, David Morris of Klamath Falls; by his son, Richard Pierce Jr. and wife, Paula Pierce, also of Klamath Falls; his grandson, Ricky Pierce of Iowa; four great-grandchildren, also of Iowa; by his brother, Albert Pierce of Burns; sister, Phyllis Bullock of Crane; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Bea Pierce.