Colonel Kenneth R. Pierce, Jr. US Army (Retired)

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                     A life of Service and Dedication to Family and Country

Colonel Kenneth R. Pierce Jr. U.S. Army (Retired) (August 12, 1940, to March 23, 2025)

Colonel Kenneth R. Pierce Jr. passed away peacefully in Seminole, Florida on March 23, 2025. “Opa” was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grand father. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years Roswitha Pierce, Sister Phyllis (Bill Orr) Pierce Graves White, Children Kenneth R. (Teresa) Pierce III, Franz Joseph “Joe” (Kati) Pierce, Christopher (Christina) Pierce and Elizabeth “Betty” (James) Weaver, Nephew Will (Carrie) Akers, Nieces Ann Douglas and Emily (James) McWatty and grandchildren Tyler Pierce, Cariann Tanner, Kassidy (Aaron Glogowski) Pierce, Adriana Cortez, Katharine Pierce, Alex Cortez, Kenneth R. Pierce IV, Isabel Cortez, Gabriela Cortez, Coltin (Sierra) Schupbach, Shane Bender, JJ Lankford, Hayden Lankford and Brady Lankford. Great-Grandchildren include Anastasia Severson, Ivy Bender, Ava Schupbach and Austyn Schupbach. He is predeceased by his parents, Kenneth R. Pierce and Jean Phyllis Pierce.

“Kenny Ray” was born in Gemoca, West Virginia on August 12, 1940 and grew up in Webster Springs, West Virginia attending Webster Springs High School before graduating from Randolph-Macon Academy Class of 1958. He attended Georgia Tech for one year before graduating from Marshall University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1963.

With a passion to serve his country, he graduated from the ROTC program at Marshall University as a Distinguished Military Graduate and earned a Regular Army Commission in the Military Police (MP) Corp and began a 28-year active-duty career in the US Army. During his distinguished Military Career his first duty assignment was Mannheim and Worms, Germany where he met his future wife Roswitha, followed by a Combat tour in Vietnam in 1968 at Long

Binh and Saigon during the Tet Offensive with the 18th MP Brigade. Afterwards he commanded a MP company in Worms Germany where he was married and started a family. He and his family had numerous stateside and overseas assignments including Fort Gordon Georgia, Fort Leavenworth Kansas, Mannheim Germany, Washington DC, Fort Riley Kansas, Frankfurt Germany, Carlisle Barracks Pennsylvania and finally retiring from Fort Shafter Hawaii in 1992 as the Western Command Provost Marshal. During his military career he was the Battalion Commander for the 716th MP Battalion in Ft. Riley and was awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4th Award), Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze service star, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Ribbon and graduated with a Master’s Degree from Michigan State University 1974 and the US Army War College in 1986.

Upon retiring from active duty, Colonel Pierce moved to Seminole Florida and continued to serve his community and worked with his sister Phyllis as a REALTOR with Century C21 Mills First, then as an Instructor at Advance Training Systems and finally as the CEO of North American Technology Partners with his son Ken until he completely retired focusing his time on traveling and cherishing every moment he spent with his family and friends. He enjoyed reading, traveling, technology, fishing, football and movies.

“Colonel” Pierce aka “Opa” will be dearly missed by all who knew him and his memory will forever remain in the hearts of his friends and loved ones.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, March 27, 2025 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church at 11 AM followed by a graveside service with Honor Guard at Calvary Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers or donations, the Pierce family ask that you honor the Colonel by doing acts of random kindness, as he was known to quietly do.

Rest in peace, Colonel Kenneth R. Pierce Jr (Retired). Your service, sacrifice and dedication to duty and family will never be forgotten.