Ray Edward Pierce ’52

Ray Edward Pierce ’52 of Rivermead Retirement Community in Peterborough, New Hampshire, died on December 22, 2017. Ray was born in Springfield, Vermont, on September 15, 1929. He was a graduate of Hancock (New Hampshire) High School and attended Dartmouth College on an NROTC scholarship, receiving his degree in education in 1952. Ray was a member of Theta Chi. He later received a B.S. in mechanical engineering and a MS in management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Ray was a career officer in the Navy, rising to the rank of captain during his 34-year career. After eight years at sea on four different ships, he changed his designator to naval engineer, focusing on the design and overhaul of ships. He served in several management responsibilities in Vietnam, Washington, D.C., Guam, and Philadelphia. Following retirement from the Navy in 1981, he served as a consultant for various ship engineering concerns. Ray and his wife, Helen, later returned to Hancock, the town they both considered home and where they had met as teenagers. Ray was an active member of the local community in a variety of responsibilities. He and Helen operated an antique store, the Barn of Hancock Village, for 20 years. He is survived by daughters Debora, Rebecca, and Meredith; their families (including six grandchildren); and nephew Scott. He was predeceased by Helen.