Richard F. Pierson

Richard F. Pierson, longtime Southold Town resident, died Oct. 5, 2019. He was 86 years old.

He was born Sept. 1, 1933, in Norristown, Pa., to Caroline Marie (Taglieber) and Raymond H. Pierson.

After high school, Richard attained an undergraduate degree from Mansfield State University in Pennsylvania and then a master’s degree from SUNY/Oswego. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War from 1955 to 1958, attaining the rank of staff sergeant.

On Aug. 20, 1966, he married the love of his life, Marion E. Grigonis, in Southold, N.Y., and together they had three children.

Richard worked as a social studies teacher for 33 years at Southold Junior-Senior High School. He was a member of Saint Patrick R.C. Church in Southold, where he was a eucharistic minister and a lector. He was also a member of the American Legion.

Richard was proud of the fact that he donated so many books to a small village in India that they actually created a library and named it after him — The Richard Pierson Library.

He was predeceased by his wife, Marion; grandson Evan Charles Laible; siblings Raymond Pierson Jr., Jack Pierson, Caroline Evans, Ruth “Boots” Rischer and Timothy Pierson.

He is survived by his children, Richard Francis Pierson Jr. of Falls Church, Va., Elizabeth Pierson Laible of Pittstown, N.J., and Jean Marie Pierson of Clinton, N.J.; grandchildren Ethan Pierson Laible, Ava Marion Laible, Thomas Cole Pierson and Guy Francis Pierson; and his sister Judith Rowe.

The family received friends Oct. 10 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. The Liturgy of Christian Burial was celebrated Oct. 11 at Saint Patrick R.C. Church in Southold. Interment with U.S. Army honors followed at the church cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Marion Grigonis-Pierson Memorial Scholarship at Southold High School or East End Hospice.

This is a paid notice.