James "Rick" Pierce

James “Rick” Pierce, age 71, a resident of Peterborough, NH passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, at the Pheasant Wood Center surrounded by his children. 

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 8, 1953, he was the son of the late James E. and Esther S. (Suvanto) Pierce.  He was a graduate of Chelmsford High School.  He went on to study at the Berklee College of Music and was a student of the Boston jazz drummer, Alan Dawson.

Rick traveled across the country with a show band, "Larry and the Exciters" for 5 years.  Eventually, he went back to his love for jazz and played in the New England area.

Rick settled down in Temple, NH with his family and his beloved Basenjis.

He was forced to retire from his auto dealership sales position when diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He continued to play the drums on a drum pad even while living in the nursing home facility.

Rick loved jazz music, playing the drums, martial arts and growing and maintaining bonsai trees.

He is survived by two daughters and two sons-in-law, Amanda Lyn and Robert Dostaler, and Jessica and Spenser Lord;  a son and daughter-in-law, Mitchell and Maddison Pierce; two grandchildren, Oliver and Killian; a sister, Patricia Sturtevant; a nephew, Jonah Sturtevant; a niece, Amy Lopez; and his dear friends, Kenny Gervais and Judy St. Germain.

Relatives and friends will be received at the TYNGSBOROUGH FUNERAL HOME 4 Cassaway Drive, Tyngsborough on Friday, Jan. 10, from 3 to 5 p.m.  Burial will take place privately in Old Landing Cemetery, Marion, MA. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in his memory to the American Parkinson Disease Association at https://www.apdaparkinson.org/

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James "Rick" Pierce, please visit our floral store.