Tommy Pierce
Obituaries
Daily Sentinel page 3D - June 21, 2020
Tommy Pierce
December 16, 1943 - June 10, 2020
Tommy Pierce was born on
December 16, 1943, at the old
Fruita Hospital, the youngest of
four siblings to Roy and Mary
Pierce.
He attended Fruita schools
from kindergarten through
grade 12, graduating in 1962.
Tommy joined the Army,
serving four years. While in the
service he married his childhood
sweetheart, Joyce Lloyd; they gave birth to a daughter, Michele, in
1965.
Tommy returned to Fruita, Colorado in 1965. A second daughter,
Melanie, was born in 1977.
Tommy first worked for Climber’s Dairy, where he was fired
for giving little kids free ice cream. He then joined the Rio Grand
railroad, working as a brakeman for 15 years.
A Fruita “Big Fish” - Tommy was a true renaissance man; the
editor in chief and publicist of The Historian, which he ran from his
collectible store on Main Street, Fruita.
Tommy loved baseball. A high school super-star, he also played
for the Army, and tried out for the minor leagues at Spring Training.
He went on to coach and help organize the Fruita Little League,
and ran baseball concessions for many years. He never missed a
JUCO game.
Tommy spent his last ten years in the Denver VA, where he
was the resident poker champion. Despite a body that failed him,
Tommy’s brain stayed sharp and his attitude was positive and kind.
Tommy passed away from Coronavirus on June 10.
He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Delbert Pierce,
and sister, Darlene Langford.
Tommy is survived by daughters, Michele Minner (Mike), Denver
and Melanie Martinez (Jerry), Fruita; sister, Virginia “Nina”
Pierce; ex-wife, Joyce Pierce; brother-in-law, Spike Langford; six
grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
Tommy was cremated and will be buried in the VA Cemetery in
Grand Junction. A service and celebra
