John Sturtevant Pierce passed away peacefully, with his wife and son at his bedside, on Wednesday October 21, 2015. John is survived by his wife Geri, his sisters Jan Zanoni and Cheryl Brawley, his son Jonathan, and his grandchildren Max and Riley. John was born in Leominster Massachusetts in 1937, to the late Harold C. Pierce and Ruth Sturtevant Pierce. John met and married Geraldine (Kennedy) Pierce in 1963 while working on his PhD at Yale University. After earning his PhD in 1969, John was awarded a Damon Runyon research fellowship and went on to do his post doctorate work in molecular biology at Cal Tech. This research fellowship is one of the highest accolades an early career scientist can receive. With this award, John was in the company of many other acclaimed Damon Runyon scientists, including 12 Nobel Laureates. He continued his research at the University of Illinois until leaving academia and moving to Massachusetts in 1977. John and Geri had two sons. He was a loving husband and father and remained so even after suffering the tragic loss of his eldest son. The late 1st LT. Michael S. Pierce died tragically while serving in the US Army at 24 years of age. The loss knocked him down but not out. He lived with his wife Geri in Ayer, Massachusetts, only minutes away from his son Jonathan C. Pierce. Jonathan lives in Acton Massachusetts with his wife Kristen and two children, Max and Riley. John loved his grandchildren dearly. Services and burial are private. Arrangements are under the care of the Dee Funeral Home of Concord.