Harry Pierson, 80 / Oct. 5, 1931 — Oct. 15, 2011

Published 7:23 pm Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Harry Pierson, 80
Oct. 5, 1931 — Oct. 15, 2011

The Rev. Dr. Harry DeCole Pierson, D.D., 80, of New Albany, Ind., and former pastor of Franklin AME Church in

Pierson

Niles, died Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011 at the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center in Louisville, Ky. following an illness.
He was born Oct. 5, 1931, in Caruthersville, Mo., to sharecroppers Harry B. and SamElla (Edmondson) Pierson, and graduated from Alton (Ill.) High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving under extreme conditions in Korea, and returning as a veteran of the Korean Conflict. He then continued his education at Wilberforce (Ohio) University, and earned degrees from Southern Illinois University (Carbondale) and Hamilton State College, Columbus, Ga., and earned a doctorate of divinity from the University of Chicago.
On Aug. 16, 1968, in Chicago, he married the former Vera Mae Johnson.
Together, they began their ministry at St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church, Chicago, and had served AME congregations in Ottumwa, Iowa; Lawrenceville, Monmouth and Sparta, Ill.; and Evansville, Ind. In 1995 they came to Niles to serve as pastor and first lady of Franklin AME Church, from which he retired in 2006.
In each community where he served as pastor, the Rev. Dr. Pierson also encouraged and led civil rights efforts, standing on the same ideals that his fellow pastor, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, preached: all people are created by God as equal, and should respect each other as such.
The Rev. Pierson lived as he preached, being a member of both the NAACP and Lions International, and participating in both ministerial alliances inclusive of all Christian leaders in the community, and the Prince Hall Lodge of the Masonic order.
Dr. Pierson was also a prolific author, with weekly missives that were equally balanced between civil rights issues and his proud patriotism as a citizen of the United States of America. Those published articles were often reprinted, and on March 30, 1971, his treatise, “A Profound Commentary on Problems of Today,” was read into the Congressional Record on the floor of the United States House of Representatives.
Harry and Vera had celebrated 40 years of marriage before her unexpected death on May 17, 2009. He was also preceded in death by his parents and by his brothers, Robert Pierson, Willie “Bill” Pierson and Morris “Mont” Pierson.
Surviving family includes their children, Tony (Irene) Johnson of Concord, Calif., Angela Pierson-Davis of Aurora, Colo., Sabrina Pierson (Tim) Langford of New Albany, Ind., Lee Pierson Palmer of Savannah, Ga. and April (Marcus) Bray of Niles; 18 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; his brothers, Allen (Mickey) Pierson, Edward Pierson, Eddie Gleason and Jeffrey Pierson; sisters, Anneal Pierson, Larcene Hopkins and Alverna Pierson; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.
The funeral service for the Rev. Dr. Harry D. Pierson will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21 at Michiana Christian Embassy, Niles with the Rev. Jared L. Graves, Sr. of Franklin AME Church officiating and the Rev. Martel Winburn, Sr. of Richmond, Ind., offering the message.
Committal rites will follow at the graveside at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens, Niles and will conclude with full military rites by the U.S. Army Honor Guard and American Legion Post 51, Buchanan.
Friends may call at the Franklin AME Church, Niles, where his remains will lay in state from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, and at Michiana Christian Embassy from 10 to 10:50 a.m. Friday.
Contributions in memory of the Rev. Dr. Pierson may be made to Franklin AME Church.
Arrangements were made at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.