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Grover Charles Pierce died Friday, Nov. 29, 2002, after a long illness. Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Don Grantham Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Randy Scraper, Charles Spence, Paul Sullivan and Jay Thompkins officiating.
Mr. Pierce was born May 4, 1916, in El Reno, to the Rev. and Mrs. Edcar Pierce. He moved to Duncan at age 12 with the Rev. Pierce and family. He attended Duncan schools and graduated from Duncan High School in 1934.
In April 1936, he married Hetty Jenyle Stone and from this union a daughter, Dannie, was born in 1946.
After graduation, Grover worked for Gulf Oil. He was "loaned out" by Gulf Oil to the government at the beginning of World War II as part of a ballistics lab "think tank" in Aberdeen Proving Grounds Maryland.
After the war he returned to Duncan and established the Pierce Propane Gas Company. (Noted for his business innovations, he provided health insurance to his employees and their families, provided housing and uniforms, and installed radio equipment in vehicles earlier than the Oklahoma State Patrol.)
After selling his propane business in 1963, he and his wife, Jenyle, traveled extensively by motor coach until the time of his death. Mr. Pierce's interests included motor coach design and it was his suggestion to the Blue Bird School Bus Company that produced the "straight sided school buses" seen today.
He loved to fly fish and was a "jack of all trades" always redesigning to make something more efficient. The Pierces have had other homes in Gunnison, Lake City and Durango, Colo., as well as Falcon Head.
Survivors include his wife of 66 years; a daughter Dannie Pierce of Durango; a grandson, Charles Spence and his wife, Tiffany, of Idaho Falls, Idaho; a great-grandson, Blake; and two sisters, Ruth Tinkle of Oklahoma City and Dorthy Denny of Woodward.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Smoky Pierce, and a sister, Leota Shirley.
Honorary bearers are Wes Hamilton, John Bond, Granville Burkleo, Charles Spence, Dr. Matthew Ivory and Stan McCoy.
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