Bennie Hughes Pierce

Bennie Hughes Pierce, Sr., 94, went home to be with the Lord on November 5, 2023. A native of Mountain City Tennessee, Bennie was born April 29, 1929. He met his wife Mary in Banner Elk North Carolina where he was a professor of math and physics at Lees-McRae College. They married in Banner Elk in 1956 and moved to Kingsport where they came to love the city and its people. He received his undergraduate degree at East Tennessee State University, at the age of 19, in chemistry and mathematics, with a teacher’s degree in higher education. He received a master's degree in mathematics from Appalachian State University. He taught high school in Bluff City before teaching at Lees-McRae College. In 1954 volunteered for the U.S. Army where he served as a mathematician in the development of the first nuclear reactor for the Army.

Bennie worked at Eastman Chemical Company for 39 years in Field Plastics Technical Service. He trained Eastman US and international marketing representatives in the technical aspect of plastics and plastics processing. He was a past president of the Cosmopolitan Kiwanis as well as a past president of the Kingsport Fine Arts Center.

Bennie and Mary became ardent University of Tennessee basketball fans and held season tickets together with three other beloved couples for 50 years. The family loved camping and visited all but two of the lower 48 states and many world fairs. Bennie was an accomplished woodworker, gardener, and do-it-yourselfer. Bennie and Mary were members of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild based on their extraordinary skill in materials preparation and basket making. Bennie especially enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren on the family farm near Mountain City, Tennessee. Bennie and Mary did all things together and were rarely separated. Bennie enjoyed helping people and was grateful for many friendships that lasted for decades.

Bennie was a very active member of First Presbyterian Church in Kingsport for 50 years and dedicated much of his life to the church, he was an elder, a deacon, and served on various committees and taught Sunday school at every level in the church. In his later years Bennie returned home to the family farm in Mountain City, TN and rejoined his much-loved childhood church, Bethel Baptist. This is where his love for the Lord was nurtured, he was baptized in the spring, and where we will celebrate his life.

He was preceded in death by his devoted wife, Mary Nelson Pierce, his son Cliff, his parents David Clifton Pierce and Dora Shoun Pierce, his sister and 3 brothers.

Bennis is survived by his children Hugh Pierce, Dr. Fletcher Pierce (Carrie), Mary-Elizabeth Pierce Kappert and his grandchildren Fletcher Pierce, Jr. (Sarah, engaged), Frances Pierce, Avery Pierce, Libby Pierce, Katherine Grace Kappert, and Pierce Kappert.

His body will lie in state at Bethel Baptist Church in Mountain City, TN on Saturday, November 18th from 10 am to 11am followed by a Celebration of Life at 11am. The family will be receiving friends immediately following the service in the fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to Bethel Baptist Church 3961 Campbell Rd. Mountain City, TN 37683, or to First Presbyterian Church of Kingsport, 100 W. Church Circle, Kingsport, TN 37660.

As an alternative to attending the service in person, you are invited to listen by phone by calling 1-717-275-8940 and enter access code 6223321# when prompted.