Earl Raymond Pierce

Earl Raymond "Buddy" Pierce, World's Greatest Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle, and Friend.

Ray was born in Louisville at Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital on June 6, 1942. He attended St. Cecilia Elementary School in Louisville, was a graduate of St. Paul Grade School and Grayson County Catholic High School in St. Paul, Ky., and married his wife Melody at St. William in Louisville on April 11, 1964. He passed away at home on January 25, 2018 after a long battle with prostate cancer.

As a teenager, Ray worked with his siblings in the family's country store (Pierce's Grocery) in Tar Hill, Ky. After graduating from high school in 1960, he worked as a mechanic at a service station before joining the crew building the 800 Apartments tower in Louisville. After manufacturing and installing many of the 800's signature "turquoise blue" panels, he traveled with a team that built all-aluminum Conoco gas stations in Colorado, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, and Wyoming.

In 1964, Ray returned to Louisville and joined the G. H. Hicks Company where he worked as a certified welder and journeyman machinist. At Hicks, Ray also represented his coworkers as the organizer and president of United Steelworkers local 8178.

In the 70s and 80s, Ray worked as a journeyman machinist at Reynolds Metals and Naval Ordnance before joining the team that opened The Budd Company stamping facility in Shelbyville. As an associate at Budd, Ray had the opportunity to attend both Jefferson Community College and the Kioi Institute in Tokyo Japan.

In retirement, Ray embarked upon a second career as a community activist. He was the founder and long-time President of the Pierce-Leemont Acres Neighborhood Association, served as a member of the board of the Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District, and ran for seats in both the Louisville Metro Council and the US House of Representatives. He also served as a part-time instructor of Machine Tool Technology at JCTC.
Throughout the late 90s and early 00's, Ray worked tirelessly to focus attention on the ineffectiveness of the Vehicle Emissions Testing program in Jefferson County. When legislation was passed ending the program in 2003, he was widely acknowledged as "the man who killed the VET". Subsequently, Ray turned his attention to shining light on mismanagement and questionable business practices at MSD.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents Henry and Christina Pierce, siblings Carl, Ronald, and Regina, and brother-in-law Wilbur Aubrey. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Melody, son Joe, daughter-in-law Johanna, grandsons Connor and Duncan, siblings Barbara Aubrey, Janet White, John Pierce, George Pierce (Betty), Alma Embry (Kenny), Don Pierce, sister-in-law Wilma Pierce, brother-in-law Daryl Meredith (Joan), and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins, and friends.

Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at Newcomer Cremations, Funerals & Receptions - Southwest Louisville Chapel, 10304 Dixie Hwy, Louisville, KY 40272. Funeral Services will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at the funeral home.