Garry Pierson

Garry Pierson

1946 – 2023

 

Melvin Garry Pierson, 77, of Weatherby, Missouri passed away Thursday morning, April 27th, 2023, at his home.

Garry, as he was known, was born on February 17th, 1946, to Melvin and Mary Pierson in Kansas City, Missouri.  He grew up helping his parents run their family farm north of Cameron, Missouri and graduated from Cameron High School in 1964.  He went on to serve in the Missouri Army National Guard where he trained as a lineman.  That training served him well for his 41-year career at NW Electric, where he served as Line Superintendent and flew power lines as their helicopter pilot before his retirement.

In 1971, Garry met Phyllis Hiley who was the love of his life.  On October 15th, 1972, Garry and Phyllis were married at the United Methodist Church, in Gallatin, Missouri.  They spent 27 years on their farm in Cameron before moving to Weatherby, Missouri in 1999.  After retirement, he and Phyllis purchased a ranch in Luna, New Mexico, where they could enjoy the mountains and elk every morning in their backyard.

Garry was an avid hunter; he spent many years guiding elk hunts in Colorado, and he was a wildlife conservationist making sure to protect food sources for the wildlife on his farms.  Whether it was hunting whitetail deer, elk, moose, or antelope, his most enjoyable moments were spent in the mountains on horseback or in his deer stands on one of his several farms.  He took great pride in teaching his three grandsons the love for wildlife and hunting and he has several trophy whitetail deer gracing the walls of his home today.  

Garry loved the mountains, and enjoyed all the family memories that were made in the San Juan mountains of Colorado riding 4-wheelers and side by sides, enjoying the spectacular views. 

Garry was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Melvin. He is survived by Phyllis, his wife of 50 years; children, Michele (Tim) Lawson, of Richmond, Missouri, Sherri (Mike) Overton, of Bentonville, Arkansas, and Lora (Gary) Sanders of Frederick, Oklahoma; three grandsons, Dustin Johnson, Taylor Overton and Tannor Overton; three great-grandchildren, two step grandchildren and two step great-grandchildren; and brother Wayne (Margaret) Pierson of Maryville, Missouri.

Services will be 2:00 PM, Monday, May 1, 2023 at Poland-Thompson Chapel, Cameron, MO. Visitation, 2:00-4:00 PM, Sunday April 30, 2023, Poland-Thompson Funeral Home. Burial, Cameron Memory Gardens, Cameron, Mo

For online condolences, visit www.polandthompson.com

Arrangements under the direction of Poland-Thompson Funeral Home, Cameron, MO