Jerry Pierce who found a home for Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches and served his alma mater there, Northwestern State University for almost 60 years, died Tuesday in a local hospital after a brief illness. He was 83.
Pierce’s death came less than a week after he was to have been the focal point of a 50th anniversary celebration of the then-languishing hall’s relocation from Shreveport to Natchitoches, where he was then Northwestern State’s sports information director and head of the news bureau.
Pierce was the unpaid executive director of the hall, seeing its inductions develop from a simple banquet to an entire weekend, until 1990 when he became a vice-president at NSU, a post he held until his death despite being far beyond retirement age.
As a vice president, Pierce did everything from dealing with legislature on issues affecting NSU to being the local liaison for the filming of Steel Magnolia in Natchitoches.
An accomplished speaker and writer, Pierce received many journalism awards and civic honors, including election to the LSHOF in 2000 and being named on the 20 most-influential sports figures in Louisiana.
For many years, he was the emcee for the Hall’s induction ceremonies.
“What a sad day this is for the Hall, for the university, for Natchitoches, and for everyone who knew and loved Jerry,” said Doug Ireland, who succeeded Piece as executive director of the hall of fame. “But in my last conversation I had with him, Jerry told me, ‘It’s been so much fun,’ and that’s how he wants to be remembered.
“In every involvement anyone had with him, they walked away smiling. So much good in Natchitoches exists because of Jerry Pierce.”
A native of Shreveport, Pierce came to Northwestern State as a student in 1957, and, with the exception of four years spent in New Orleans as executive sports editor of the Times-Picayune, a position he assumed at age 24.
In 1965 Pierce returned to Natchitoches and Northwestern State. And this time, he never left.
Piece is survived by his wife, Regina, four children, seven grandchildren and three great-children.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church of Natchitoches.
