Jerry Don (J.D.) Pierce

Jerry Don Pierce, 84 of Rusk, passed away peacefully at his home on May 3, 2024, with his family at this side. JD was born to Cecil Wallace and Lyllie McMoyle Pierce in Tecula, Texas on March 31, 1940. After attending grade school at Taylor’s Chapel, JD began attending Jacksonville High School in 9th grade. When his English teacher assigned him to memorize the Prologue to Romeo and Juliet, JD decided that high school was not for him and instead joined the United States Marine Corps. After his mother and father permitted him to join the USMC, JD hitch-hiked his way to MCRD San Diego, California. Eventually, he crossed the International Date Line to arrive in Okinawa, Japan where he served in the motor-pool transport. Upon his honorable discharge, JD served 3 more years in the reserves after hitchhiking his way back home to Texas from Twenty-Nine Palms, California. JD attributes the later successes of his life to the discipline ingrained into him by the United States Marine Corps. In the early 1960’s, JD met Maxine Wilburn. On January 26, 1962, they married and remained married until Maxine’s passing in July 2022. JD and Maxine settled in Palestine, where JD worked for Missouri Pacific Railroad, which eventually merged with Union Pacific Railroad, for 40-plus years. When the boys were young, JD was assigned to Freeport, Texas where he and Maxine loved the beach and their many friends. While in Freeport, they added a daughter to the family. Eventually, the couple moved back to East Texas and settled in Rusk where JD continued to work for UP Railroad out of Palestine. They spent 50 years in the home they built on Rider Road. JD was a lifelong jokester and enjoyed laughing with his family and friends. Earlier in his life, he enjoyed drag racing where his young sons acted as his pit crew. Both boys claim they learned many things about cars from JD’s racing days. JD also loved the outdoors and taught his children to hunt, fish, and garden. Later in life, JD taught himself woodworking and produced beautiful large pieces of furniture and small wooden boxes and crosses from his workshop. As life matured him, JD spent more time studying the bible and attending Sunday School at First Baptist Church. It was important to JD that the people he met be treated with respect and kindness. He was always willing to lend a helping hand. Because of that, he was loved and admired by many. Jerry Don Pierce is preceded in death by his father, Cecil Pierce; his mother Lyllie Pierce; and his wife, Maxine Pierce, and daughter-in-law, Nancy Pierce. Left to cherish his memory are his sons, Don Terry Pierce of Jacksonville; Jerry David Pierce and wife Carol of Corpus Christi; Melissa Pierce Basse and husband Bryan of Rusk; grandsons Jeremy Don Pierce of Jacksonville, Nathan David Pierce of Rochester, New York, Jarrett Daniel Basse of Grapevine, Texas, and Cecily Maxine Basse of Nacogdoches, and sister Jenny Sue Hines and husband Dennis of Jacksonville, many nieces and nephews, and close family friends. Visitation will be 10am Wednesday, May 8th at Wallace-Thompson Funeral Home in Rusk with services starting at 11 am. Internment, with military honors, will be at Tecula Cemetery following the funeral service. Serving as pallbearers are Billy McMoyle, Jarrett Basse, Cecily Basse, Jeremy Pierce, Darren Wilburn, and Brent Wilburn. Honorary pallbearers include Nathan Pierce, Windell Pierson, Donald Shaver, Deaton Goff, George Clardy, and Larry Sinclair. The family of Mr. Pierce would like to thank Compassionate Care of East Texas - Mollie Dafft and Debbie Garcia, and Heart to Heart Hospice for giving our father dignity until the end. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Shriner’s Hospital at www.donate.lovetotherescue.org/

Jerry Don (J.D.) Pierce

March 31, 1940 - May 3, 2024