Bobby Eugene Pierce, 83, husband of the late Jewel F. Pierce, died Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at Palmetto Health Tuomey.

Born July 11, 1934, in Fame, Oklahoma, he was a son of the late Everett Pierce and the late Amy Ruth Pierce. Mr. Pierce was an active member of the Summerville Church of Christ. Bobby began his Air Force career at Basic Training in Livermore, CA then technical school at Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Illinois as a parachute rigger. His first assignment was at Hunter AFB, Savannah, Georgia. While stationed there, his daughter, Deborah (Debbie) was born. From there he was stationed at Castle AFB in Atwater, CA, then to Incirlik AB in Adana, Turkey, followed by assignments to Shaw AFB in Sumter, SC, Takli AB in Takli, Thailand, back to Shaw AFB in Sumter, then to Torrejon AFB in Madrid, Spain where his son, Douglas, was born. From there he was assigned to Homestead AFB, Homestead, Florida. He retired from Homestead AFB after 20 years of service and then moved to Sumter. After living in Sumter for 10 years he moved to Summerville, SC to work as a civil service employee at Joint Base Charleston. He began his civil service career in January 1986 where he continued to work full-time up until four weeks prior to his untimely death. He was affectionately known around the base as Mr. P. He always had a smile and a kind word to share. He loved his job and his Team AFE family. He was honored to be the oldest employee at Joint Base Charleston and was recognized in the AF Times, Airman Magazine, and the Post and Courier. He was a mentor to many and loved by all. He will be dearly missed by family and friends.

Survivors include two children, Deborah P. Newman (Todd) of Sumter and Col. Douglas E. Pierce (Sara) of Honolulu, Hawaii; four grandchildren, Justin Newman (Amanda), Lauren Yates (Adam), Corrine Pierce, and Hannah Pierce; a great-grandson, Elijah Yates; and a brother, Leeman Pierce of Merced, California.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Kenneth D. Pierce; and a sister, Ruth Ann Pierce.

A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at Summerville Church of Christ with Minister David Clayton officiating.

Burial with full military honors will be at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Summerville Church of Christ, from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home in Sumter and other times at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Todd Newman, 45 Winter Creek Rd., Sumter.

Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bobby Eugene Pierce, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.