James Russell Pierce

WILLIAMSBURG - James Russell "Jim" Pierce, age 60, died of cardiac arrest on Dec. 5, 2014 in his home office in Williamsburg. He was the second of four children born to Jay and Donna Pierce on March 20, 1954 in Eau Claire, WI. He earned his BA in Economics from Ripon College in Ripon, WI 1972-76 through a ROTC scholarship, and an MBA cum laude from Embry-Riddle University. As an Airborne and Ranger qualified U.S. Army officer and senior aviator, Jim served in assignments in Virginia, Alabama, Singapore and South Korea, where he met the love of his life, Suki. Jim and Suki were married June 10, 1987. After spending a year sailing the intracoastal waterway and the West Indies, Jim and Suki settled in Hampton, VA where Jim began a second career in the financial services industry with Wheat First Securities. Jim and Suki grew their family with daughter Frances Cello Pierce in 1991, and son Marshall Alexander Pierce in 1992. Jim began twenty years of service with Merrill Lynch in 1993 and became manager of the Williamsburg branch office in 2002. The family built a home near Williamsburg Winery and moved there permanently in 2006. In 2014, Jim joined Davenport & Company as a Senior Vice President of Investments. Jim was an active member of his community and adopted as his personal ethic the famous Rotary International motto "Service Above Self." Among many other personal investments, he was a Trustee at Hampton Baptist Church, a Past-District Governor of Rotary District 7600, a past chair of Christopher Newport University's (CNU) Board of Trustees, Elected President of CNU Educational Foundation, a Trustee of Williamsburg Symphonia, and a student at the James City County Citizen Police Academy. Jim is survived by his wife and children; parents, Jay and Donna Pierce of Eau Claire, WI; sister, Patsy of Surry, ME; and brother, Jeffrey and family of Elgin, IL. His visionary leadership and countless personal and professional relationships produced a legacy of excellence that will be forever remembered for its character, generosity, and vitality. The family will receive friends from 2:00 - 4:00 and 6:00 - 8:00 PM on Thursday, Dec. 11 at Nelsen Funeral Home, 3785 Strawberry Plains Rd., Williamsburg. Interment will take place at 11:00 AM on Friday, Dec. 12 at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery. A 2:00 PM service will follow at Hampton Baptist Church, 40 King's Way, Hampton, VA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either of the following organizations in honor of James Russell Pierce: Hampton Baptist Church Capital Campaign and Ripon College of Ripon, WI. Online condolences may be offered at www.nelsencares.com.