he Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
28 May 1956, Mon • Page 38

There passed away at his home in Almonte, Ont. on Saturday, May 26th, one of the town’s leading citizens in the person of William R. Pierce, in his 64th year, after a heart attack in December from which he never fully recovered. Born at Eganville, Ontario, he was the son of the late William Pierce and Eliza Jane Bayers, one of a family of twelve children.

Mr. Pierce enlisted with the 20th Batt. CEF, and served overseas in the first Great War. Returning to Canada he was with the Post Office Dept, at Sudbury and, for a time lived in Windsor, Ont. In 1923 he married Miss Gertrude McMullan, daughter of the late Hugh McMullan and Mrs. H. McMullan of Almonte. To this union there were born one son and one daughter (Grace) Mrs. R. C. Paul of Ottawa and William at home.

Mr. Pierce purchased the Wylie Milling Company Plant at Almonte in 1931 and operated it under the name of the Almonte Flour Mills until 1951 when he retired selling to Mr. Philip Strickland, who continues to operate the firm. In municipal affairs Mr. Pierce gave valuable assistance both as Councillor and Reeve to the Lanark County Council for the town of Almonte for several years.

During his 20 years as head of his firm of Flour Manufacturers, Mr. Pierce became an authority in his line, being appointed the president of the Retail Seed Dealers Association of Ontario of which he was still a director. He was an active and loyal member of St. Paul’s Anglican church at Almonte, and prominent in fraternal circles, a member of Mississippi Lodge No. 147 A.F.- & A.M., Almonte; Past 1st. Principal of Granite Chapter R.A.M, Ottawa Preceptory Knight Templars; Rameses Temple Shrine, Toronto; Ottawa Shrine Club; and member of the Eastern Star Chapter of Almonte.

Of his own immediate family, there remain to mourn his loss, in addition to his widow, his son and daughter, three sisters and five brothers: Sarah Anne (Mrs. R. Warren; Ethel (Mrs. F. J. Cressay; Pearl (Mrs. J. B. Stone); Jane Mrs. M. . Morrison) of Sudbury; Gordon Pierce, Windsor; Arthur1 and Thomas of Pakenham; Frank of Sault Ste. Marie and Wilbert Pierce of Arnprior. The funeral was held from his late residence, Main Street, Almonte td St. Paul’s Anglican Church for service at 1.30 p.m. on Monday, May 28th and thence by motor to Eganville, Ont., where interment took place in the Anglican cemetery. Rev. Llewellyn Graham, rector of St. Paul’s Church officiated assisted by the Rev. Archdeacon J.C. Anderson of Ottawa. The honorary pallbearers were: Messrs. Clarke Gourlay, James Jamieson, William Jamieson, Hal Kirkland, James Newsome, Prescott and Fred Perrow, Hamilton and fifteen local members of Shrine Temple. The pallbearers were; Messrs. Geo. A. Thompson, Charles Scanlon, Cyrl Pierce, Harvey Cochrane; Lloyd Rourke of Ottawa, James MacDonald of Galt. On arrival at Eganville Anglican cemetery where committal took place, the remains were met by a military cortege of veterans and a firing squad from Foymont Air Station. Rev. Archdeacon Anderson officiated at the graveside.