PIERCE, LUCY ANN BOYLE (28 Mar. 1905-30 July 1993) received the Meritorious Public Service Citation from the U. S. Navy in 1965 and a citation from the U. S. Army the same year for her volunteer work with the USO (United Service Organizations) in Cleveland and abroad. Pierce began working with Cleveland's USO in 1941 and became director in 1951; she also helped organize USO branches overseas. Pierce was born in Oil City, PA, to Edward E. and Marquerita (Weber) Boyle, and moved to Cleveland in 1918. She graduated from West High School and Marshall College and received a master's degree in social work from Western Reserve University (see CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY). On 10 Sept. 1924 she married Gar Pierce (d. 1971), later the mayor of Willoughby. They had a daughter, Jettielee McCormick. Pierce worked for ASSOCIATED CHARITIES (1930-42). At Cleveland's USO, located in the TERMINAL TOWER and later in the Federal Building and at the CLEVELAND-HOPKINS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, she organized volunteers and solicited donations of food and entertainment tickets for soldiers. Cleveland's chapter was reportedly the only one (among 273 in the world) headed by a volunteer. As a member of the National USO Council, Pierce made goodwill trips to military bases abroad. Locally, she worked with the West Lake County United Appeal, among other Lake County organizations, and served on the board of the Cleveland Community Fund (see UNITED WAY SERVICES). She belonged to the WOMEN'S CITY CLUB, the Daughters of the Nile, and the Presbyterian Church in Willoughby. Pierce died in Coral Springs, FL, where she had moved in 1990.
Last Modified: 21 Jul 1997 03:18:34 PM- Related Article(s)