Maurice Foulke Pierce, 87, of Natick, MA; Hobe Sound, FL; and Philadelphia, PA, died Monday, Feb. 17, 2003, at Natick’s Mary Ann Morse Nursing Home after a brief illness.

Born in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Maurice F. Pierce and the late Jeannette P. (Eaton) Pierce.

Mr. Pierce was familiar to those in the construction industry. For many years, he was employed by Metalweld where he sold International Harvester construction equipment, Lima cranes and Hough loaders.

Later, he was employed by Elliott & Frantz, the Fiat-Allis dealer in the Philadelphia area, where he represented Tramac hydraulic hammers and Standard Havens, which were bag houses for asphalt plants.

At one time, Mr. Pierce managed a John Deere dealership.

However, before becoming involved in the industry, he was an accomplished photographer, which led him to WWII service with the 4026 Signal Battalion, including parachute assignments with the 11th Airborne. During his military career as a wartime photographer in the Pacific Theater, he was present on the battleship Missouri for the signing of the Japanese surrender.

Following his military service, he continued his career in photography, which including a stint as manager of the Bachrach Studio in Baltimore. It was when he returned to Philadelphia that he became involved in the construction industry.

Mr. Pierce was the husband of the late Constance Jane (Galer) Pierce; the brother of the late Robert Pierce and his wife, the late Ethel Pierce; and the brother-in-law of the late William Galer and his wife, the late Betty Galer.

He leaves behind a daughter Constance Lee (Pierce) Culkin and her husband John Robert Culkin; a grandson Andrew Sean “Super Kid” Culkin; a sister-in-law Janet (Galer) Seybert and her husband Robert Seybert; a sister-in-law Willisene Galer, wife of the late Harold Galer; and 11 nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will coincide with the interment of ashes at the George Washington Memorial Park in Plymouth Meeting, PA, at a later date.

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