George Edward Pierce

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of George Edward “Eddie” Pierce March 12, 1998 at home in Falmouth. He was 72.

Eddie was born in Beverly, Massachusetts, March 22, 1925 and graduated from Lawrence High School in Falmouth. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II, serving on a variety of vessels from 1943 to 1953. Following his Naval service, he worked as a kitchen helper, machine operator and in landscaping before joining the WHOI staff in June 1956 as a Ordinary Seaman on Research Vessel Atlantis. A year later Eddie was promoted to Able Bodied Seaman, and except for a brief period working on R/V Bear in 1960, Eddie remained on Atlantis until January 1963, when he joined the crew of the new Research Vessel Atlantis II. Eddie was promoted to Boatswain on AII on 1968, a position he held for the remainder of his seagoing career. He retired from WHOI in May 1984.

Following his long WHOI career, Eddie worked on vessels of the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority from June 1983 until his retirement from the Authority in May 1994.

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis Pierce, of Teaticket, MA; two sons, Edward Pierce of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Steven Pierce of East Falmouth, MA; a daughter, Brenda Ostapchuk of East Falmouth, MA; and six grandchildren. His brother, Samuel “Sammy” Pierce, who died in October 1997, worked aboard WHOI research vessels for 35 years.

Funeral services were private.