CHARLES CRAIG PIERCE, 93, formerly of Storm Lake, Sioux Rapids, and Peterson, Iowa, passed away Monday morning, May 4, 2015 in the Sunset Knoll Care & Rehab Center in Aurelia due to a long battle with Parkinson's Disease.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, May 7th, at 10:30 a.m. at the Peterson United Methodist Church. Pastor Kim Dewey will officiate. Burial will be in the Oakland Cemetery at Peterson, Iowa with military rites at the graveside. There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. at the church on Thursday. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. and masonic services at 7:30 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Charles Craig Pierce was born on May 2, 1922 at rural Cleghorn, Iowa to Ray & Marian (Swindle) Pierce. He graduated from Cleghorn High School in 1940. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served our country from 1942-1946 during WW II. He was a radio operator on the U.S.S. Nassau aircraft carrier. He was married to Margaret Reed on June 16, 1948 at Peterson, Iowa. He farmed at Calumet and Sutherland and was a substitute mail carrier until 1963; then went to work for Iowa Breeders at Sioux Rapids for two years. He then was custodian for the Sioux Rapids Community Schools until 1970; they moved to Storm Lake and he became custodian for the Storm Lake School District until his retirement in 1984. Following retirement, they moved to Peterson and lived there until 1997; then moved to Sioux Rapids. His wife Margaret passed away in 2007 and he moved to Spencer and lived at Hillside Terrace Assisted Living for 5 ½ years until he entered Sunset Knoll Care and Rehab in November of 2012. He was a member of the Peterson United Methodist Church; Peterson Lions Club, American Legion at Peterson, a 50 year plus member of the Masonic Lodge, and was a member and Past Worthy Patron in Eastern Star. He enjoyed fishing, traveling and spending time with his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Margaret on June 1, 2007, sisters-in-law Marjorie Pritts of Cherokee, Ina (Ken) Joy of Cushing, brothers-in-law Chris (Louise) Reed of Sheldon, Herb Nielsen of Spencer; cousins Ron & Francella Hinspeter of Marcus.

He is survived by his three children: Becky (Keith) Diersen of Sac City, Iowa; Bob Ray (Tess) Pierce of Sioux Rapids, Iowa; Ron Craig (Denise) Pierce of Sioux Rapids, Iowa; 9 grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren; brother-in-law Walter Pritts of Cherokee, Iowa; sister-in-law Eleanor Nielsen of Spencer, Iowa; cousins Joyce & Glen Hakeman of Tipton, Iowa.