A Tip of the Hat to a DML HP

Long time DML subscriber Dick Peirce was a devoted fan ofpaleontology and dedicated much of his life to furthering thescience. He was spotlighted in the August 2007 issue of Museum Times, thenewsletter of The Museum of WesternColorado. In Currieet al. (2003) he was acknowledged as the discoverer of a sauropodfootprint with skin impressions. May he always be as happy as he wasat the moment of that discovery...

Photo: Mary Kirkaldy

The following is a collection of comments made by people to eitherthe DML or the VRTPaleo mailing list.

Dick Peirce passed away Dec. 17 in GrandJunction, CO, due to complications from a previous surgery. Dicktaught biology at Pasadena Community College for more than 30years. He was an enthusiastic member of SVP, a seven-year volunteer atthe Museum of Western Colorado, and specialized in picking, sorting,and preparing microvertebrate fossils. Over the years, Dick was veryactive in collecting at the Fruita Paleo Area, Como Bluff, and theBlack Hills, where he would spend many hours breaking rock in searchof mammals, lizards, sphenodontids, and other less glamorous membersof the Morrison fauna. A memorial service will be held sometime in thespring of 2008. Letters and thoughts to be passed on to his wife Nancymay be sent to the Museum of Western Colorado, 550 Jurassic Court,Fruita, Colorado 81521.

I'm truly sorry. Dick Peirce was always ajolly presence at all the SVP's I have attended. His enjoyment of lifewas always evident and contagious (I even proposed that he publishhis memories of each of the meetings. A few of us had the privilege ofalways - traditionally- getting a copy of his reports... every year). NoSVP field trip will be the same after this.

He will be sorely missed.

I am truly sorry to hear this. Dick will beterribly missed. Dick was always so up-beat and super friendly at allthe SVP meetings I've attended. He always had wonderful things toshare with all of us, especially at our DML breakfasts. My sympathiesto all his family and friends.

Dick always came to our DML breakfasts,camera in hand, with photos from previous years to show. Hisever-present Gen. Montgomery beret made him stand out in the SVPcrowd, along with his friendly demeanor and obvious enthusiasm for allthings to do with paleontology. The last few years, he brought a voicerecorder with him and could be seen "talking to himself" abouthappenings at the meetings. Dick always generously shared theseobservations/meeting histories, and I know that he donated a number ofhis meeting pictures to the SVP archives.

My heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Nancy. He will bemissed.

Oh My God!

I am truly grieved by the news of Dick's passing! Dick wasenthusiastically supportive of my nascent research with the Arundelfauna and continued to be an enthusiastic supporter ever since! Dickwould, often unbeknownst to me or without my asking, serve as my eyesand ears by sending me very detailed notes on a number of conferencesand meetings that I was unable to attend! On more than one occasionhis missives seemed to arrive, "out of the blue" at just the righttime. I even have a separate file folder with his name on it! Hiswriting, his almost boyish (in a good way of course), enthusiasm andpassion for the sciences were always very evident in him, both inperson as well as in text form as was his 'joies de vivre'.

Now he is in a better place and likewise assumes his deserved place alongwith and likewise epitomized by the late great Nick Hotton, John Ostrom,and Charles Repenning-.on the Pantheon of the archetypal "Gentleman &Scholar" of yore; -All of whom, I have been honored to have met and knownin my pursuit of knowledge. And as with these men. I was privileged to haveknown Dick and am diminished by his passing!

May he run at the Bridge with all of theother saurs and all of their cousins and their descendents.