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Chester James Pierce, 85, passed away on Thurs., April 25, 2019, in Pensacola, Fla. Chester was born on July 24, 1933 in Atmore.

Chester was the fourth of 11 children born to the union of Joe Pierce and Carlee Rabb Pierce.

Six siblings preceded him in death, four sisters and two brothers; twins, Sally and Annie (18 months old), Zedia (1981), Magdeline (2013), George Delano (2014) and Jim (2017).

Chester grew up in the Poarch area on the family farm. He specialized in automobile repair when he left Atmore. He later lived in Chicago, Connecticut, Colorado, Los Angeles, Atlanta and finally, Pensacola. In his latter years, Chester loved to garden and took great pride in giving away the fruits of his labor. He was a devoted member of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola. He was a favorite in his Sunday School class, known for his boisterous laughter and humorous anecdotes.

Chester leaves to cherish his memory and celebrate his life, two sisters, Marie Rideaux, who was his devoted caregiver since 2003, and Gladys Harden; two brothers, Solomon Pierce (Susan), and Joe Pierce (Doratha); one sister in law, Victoria Pierce; and a host of relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held on May 1, 2019 at the Faith Chapel North Funeral Home in Cantonment, Fla. Interment followed in the Pierce Cemetery in Poarch.