Arthur was born in Philip on March 28, 1918, the son of Clarence Marshall and Sadye (Reynolds) Peirce.  He attended school in Philip, graduating from high school in 1936.

In 1942, he entered the Army Air Corps, spending two years and four months in the European Theater.  He was a member of the 482nd Bomb Squadron.  He was discharged in 1945 with the rank of sergeant.

Upon his return, he attended S.D. School of Mines and Technology, midway through his junior year.  At this time, he went to work for the Postal Service, sorting mail nights on a mail train and later working on the Highway Post Office, and finally settling in a permanent position in the Pierre, South Dakota, post office where he worked until his retirement in the mid-1970s.

He purchased a home and small acreage of land near Piedmont, South Dakota, where he lived until ill health forced him to move to Murdo where his niece, June Nix, cared for him until he entered the nursing home untit at Ft. Meade in February of 2000.  Mr. Peirce never married.

Arthur is survived by two brothers, Clarence of Portland, OR, and Walter of College, AK; three sisters, Harriet Headley of Duluth, MN, Edna Minger of Tipton, OK, and Eloise Nafziger and her husband, Frank, of Foresthilll, CA; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant brother, Stanley; and two brothers, Paul of Las Vegas, NV, and Myron of Draper, SD.

Arthur will best be remembered for the love of his dogs and his delight in socializing over coffee with friends.

Memorial Service
Monday, July 31, 2000
at the Pierce Family Reunion
in the Black Hills

Conducting the Worship Service
Rev. Russell Peirce (nephew)

Offering Military Rites
Frank Nafziger (brother-in-law)

Inurnment
August 1, 2000
Masonic Cemetery
Philip, South Dakota