David Wayne Pierce finished his final and greatest book on Tuesday, July 22, 2014, at about 6pm surrounded by his family and friends. He was 54. He was a gifted writer with three most notable books, Salvage, To Kill A Zombie, and Don't Let Me Go along with dozens of stories in mystery magazines like Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen. But his best work he saved for the end and wrote his last words with courage and grace.
David's story began on May 1, 1960 at General Hospital in Nashville, TN. He graduated from Cheatham County High School in 1978 and Tennessee State University in 1982. He went on to earn a MA at MTSU and returned to teach English Literature at MTSU, Taylor University and Western Kentucky University. David travelled the world for faith, fishing, and with his family, making several trips to Africa, Israel, and South America. He loved fishing, scuba diving, mountain climbing, wood working and the outdoors. But mainly he loved to write. Over the last few months he wrote, and worked, and loved, and battled heroically at his cabin retreat near Ashland City, Tennessee, he named, The Funny Farm.
His stories were often about his beloved wife, Chonda Pierce, and their children Chera Pierce Meredith, and David Zachary Pierce. He is also survived by his mother, Elizabeth Hawkins, his brother John , and two sisters, Debbie and Sarah, his son-in-law Craig and two grandsons, Sawyer and Conner. His stories were influenced greatly by his father, David Ray Pierce and his mother-in-law, Virginia Farless who finished their stories in heaven before he arrived.
David's story is not over. We will celebrate the book of his life at Cheatham County Funeral Home in Ashland City with visitation on Thursday and Friday, from 3-8 and a storybook send off on Saturday, July 26th at 11am followed by a private graveside service. Afterwards, we will keep adding chapters to our stories because he taught us to live, to love the outdoors and to write. Cheatham County Funeral Home 615-792-2552 cheathamcountyfh.com