Dr. Pierce Johnson "Opa" Howard

1941 - 2026

Dr. Pierce Johnson "Opa" Howard

August 7, 1941 - January 18, 2026

Charlotte, North Carolina - Yes, he was an Eagle Scout. Sure, he graduated from Davidson University and got a Ph.D. at UNC-Chapel Hill. And OK, there were the 20 books he wrote, preceded by his extraordinary pivot from local education to the global business world in the 1980s.

But the depth of Pierce went far beyond those accolades, which are too many to cite.

His mind was hungry. He had no patience for small talk or pop culture, often showing his disdain for Philistine chit-chat by crossing his arms and pouting. He read six books at the same time, lining them with post-its and scribbling in the margins. A passionate musician, he played 35 instruments, with a special affection for recorders. His idea of a pin-up girl was Wanda Landowska, the Polish harpsichordist.

He wore a hot sauce holster to restaurants. He kept a spreadsheet detailing the best French onion soups in Charlotte, breaking them down by richness of the broth, caramelization of the onions, taste of the cheese, sour chewiness of the bread, among other categories. (The one from La Belle Helene got the top score. You're welcome.) He made beef stroganoff on a rusty Coleman stove for a bunch of eight-year-old girls in the mountains. He recreated Timpano, a Southern Italian dish, after watching the film "Big Night," starring Stanley Tucci. He has read all of Mr. Tucci's books, by the way.

When a certain teenage daughter called him from jail, instead of getting angry, he told her, "You are joining a vaunted list of some of America's greatest patriots."

He coached the first girls' soccer team in Charlotte, where he also helped to pioneer the city's first progressive, inclusive education model. He refused to join country clubs in the 1970s, calling them racist and dangerously conservative. A true Tarheel, he lived for Eastern NC-style barbecue and UNC basketball. He was a regular at church not for the sermons, but for the choral music.

His community was the choir, where he met his soul mate, Jane Mitchell Howard. Together, they started a consulting group, the Center for Applied Cognitive Studies (CentACS), which was renamed when they sold it in 2017. Pierce and Jane developed a personality test called the Workplace Big Five Profile, which is now used by businesses all over the world.

Born in Kinston, NC, Pierce was the youngest of seven, who were all, on average, 20 years his senior. Having older siblings meant that he had more in common with the Greatest Generation than he did with the Boomers. When his contemporaries were rocking out to Jimi Hendrix, Pierce was blasting Bach. When they were protesting the Vietnam War, Pierce was performing military intelligence in Germany (and also playing recorder in a local chamber music group).

Family was a top priority for Pierce, who obsessively researched his ancestry and mandated reunions every other year. After a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer, he leaves behind his wife, Jane, daughter Allegra Blythe Howard Hinson (Charlotte), grandsons William Carl "Liam" Hinson V. (Greensboro), and Rowan Pierce Hinson (Asheville), daughter Hilary Howard (New York, New York); grandson Callum Kane Leftwich Murphy (New Paltz, N.Y.) granddaughter Allegra Jean Righteous Murphy (New York, N.Y.); and too many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews to name.

In 1997, Pierce's career reached its commercial zenith when he published his book, "The Owner's Manual for the Brain," and Oprah Winfrey invited him on her show to discuss how to hold on to special memories in such a fast-paced, content-heavy world.

"We can stop, take a deep breath, and smell the roses," he said. "We can stop and consciously say, 'I want to soak this in. I want to drink deeply of this experience.'"

In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Pierce may be made to Bach Charlotte or Room in the Inn.

Services are still pending.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.