Billy Campbell "Bill" Pierson

Billy Campbell (Bill) Pierson of Cleveland, TN, (age 88) passed away on September 27, 2018. He was born on December 18, 1929, to his parents, the late Hiram Newton Pierson and Carrie Harrison Peters Pierson, in the Daniel Boone community near Gate City, VA. He graduated from Shoemaker High School at Gate City in 1947. He served in the United States Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1954. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1958. Following graduation, he was employed by Tennessee Eastman Co., a division of Eastman Kodak, in Kingsport, TN. He retired in 1992 as Division Superintendent of the Shops and Services division. He was a devoted Christian and was a member of Litz Manor Baptist Church in Kingsport for 50 years. He was a Sunday school teacher there for more than 40 years. Since relocating to Cleveland, he was a member of the First Baptist Church of Cleveland, TN. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Aleen Gillenwater of Sulphur Springs, TN, and two brothers, Keith, who died in infancy, and Carl Glen of Gate City, VA. Surviving Bill are his beloved wife, Jo McDavid Pierson, of 60 years and daughters Karen Bunch (Dewayne) of Cleveland, TN, and Linda Whitmore (Cliff) of Franklin, TN. He also leaves behind four grandchildren, Katherine Elise Whitmore of Nashville, TN, Jennifer Grace Whitmore of Atlanta, GA, William Clayton Bunch and wife Candice of Lexington, KY, and Jesse Pierson Bunch of Cleveland, TN, along with two great-grandchildren, Tegan Lewis and Jedediah Clayton Bunch of Lexington, KY. The family will receive friends Sunday, September 30th, at First Baptist Church in Cleveland Tennessee, from 1:30-3:00pm. A Remembrance of Life Service will be held at 2 o’clock Monday October 1st at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home 117 E. Charlemont Ave. Kingsport Tennessee, 37660, with a visitation from 12pm until the service time at 2pm at the Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home. The family request in lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to the Manna Ministries, C/O First Baptist Church, 1275 Stuart Road N. E. Cleveland, Tennessee 37312, or to the Salvation Army, 1019 N. Moore Road, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37411 or to the Charity of your choice. Jim Rush Funeral and Cremation Services North Ocoee St. Chapel has charge of local arrangements.Read Obituary