CANTON – A Canton resident and one of the few remaining World War II veterans remaining in St. Lawrence County died Dec. 28 at age 102.

Edwin N. Pierce, 102, passed away peacefully at home.

He was born September 4, 1913 in Orleans on Cape Cod, MA, middle son of Fred and Ida Gould Pierce. He graduated from Stockbridge School of Agriculture in Animal Husbandry at U. of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Pierce was area manager of Farm Credit in Wallingford, CT and later Canton, for 25 years and together with his wife and family operated a dairy farm in Chipman. During his varied career he was also a milk tester and farm manager.

He served as a Master Sergeant in the army, 43rd Infantry Division, during WWII through four campaigns in the Pacific Theater and was awarded a Bronze Star among other medals. His wife, Phyllis Broderick, was a New Zealand war bride and they had three children.

Pierce was a member of Rotary for over 40 years, chairman of Agribusiness Association, President of Literacy Volunteers and a deacon in the Scotch Presbyterian Church of Chipman and the First Presbyterian Church of Canton. He also received the County Extension annual award for Service To Agriculture.

Upon retiring he and Phyllis moved to Canton on the Grasse River where he lived for 36 years. They wintered in Sebring, FL for 30 years where they had an active life. In between, they travelled the world and attended Elder Hostel Retreats.

See his full obituary here.