Jason Pierce, Our Bonus Son

Jason Pierce

1971-2025

   Solomon said, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Over the years, our family has known this to be true.  Sadly and unfortunately, we are faced with it once again.  It’s never easy to face the loss of a parent, grandparent or older folks, but when you’re 53 year old son (son-in-law) that has been in your family 19 years suddenly develops bone cancer and is gone in a matter of weeks, it hits home that we weren’t ready for “a time for everything” that Solomon wrote about.

Jason Pierce came into our family on November 4, 2006 (19 years ago) when he married my precious daughter, Dori.  Now, understand that I didn’t think anyone was good enough for my baby.  However, Jason proved me wrong.  From day one, he cared for my daughter and treated her like a woman should be treated.  He worked hard in the business that he and his brother Clayton built.

Dori and Jason spent a couple of years, during vacations,  seeing parts of the world that many people never see.  They had great adventures, and they both became certified scuba divers.

They had a couple of wonderful years together, then give or take a month, they stopped by the house in November of 2008 and presented me with a picture that would forever change my life.

My very first grandchild was on the way.  Carson Gib Pierce would come into this world in April of 2009.  The day he was born was such an amazing day.  Little did I know that this little child could change my world so much.

He and I became best buddies, and to this day, we have had adventures that we’d never tell his parents about.  That’s what grandpas do.

As Carson grew, Jason coached many of his baseball teams and as he grew, he made sure that Carson had the best instructors and played on several travel ball teams with outstanding coaches.  There is no telling how many miles he and Dori traveled, taking him to instructions and games.

I hand it to Jason. Carson loves the game and Jason did everything he could to make him good.  It took a while for it to click, but Jason was able to see when the “light came on,” and Carson began playing like he had been taught.  It was fun to watch Jason at Carson’s game.  He couldn’t sit down.  He would pace up and down the coaches’ box when he was coaching, and when he turned it over to other coaches, he would pace up and down the fence.  This is Carson’s sophomore year in high school.  If I’m not mistaken, the last game Jason attended was at the Commerce tournament.  He was so weak he could hardly make it from the car, but when Carson was on a team, he just didn’t miss a game.  EVER.

Jason had some health issues over the years but had them under control and was doing great.  Just a few short weeks ago, he, Eric, and I were doing driveway maintenance on the property.  Jason and I were on tractors moving and smoothing gravel and Eric, being the youngest, had rake duty.  He called it “fine-tuning.”  Jason seemed to be feeling good, and we all enjoyed our time together.

I think it was a week or so later that Jason went in for a routine exam, and two small cancer spots were located on his liver.  The doctors did a biopsy, and sure enough, they were cancerous.  However, the prognosis was pretty good.  They started infusion treatments the following week.  The following Tuesday he and Dori went back to the doctor’s and, to make a long, terrible story short.  The doctors found the cancer to be very aggressive and was now in his bones.

Carson and I went to the hospital on March 12th.  Jason was alert and said, “Hey, bud” to Carson when we walked in.  Carson told him all about the baseball game the night before.  Jason responded to him and watched every move that Carson made.  Soon, he was back asleep.  Later, he opened his eyes, and Carson said, “Love you, Paw Paw.”  Jason responded, “Love you, too.”  He whispered how proud he was of Carson.  Well, the entire room lost it at that point.

Jason passed away March 14th.  The loss we feel is immense.  Pray for Dori and Carson.  Children shouldn’t lose their parents when they are so young.

Jason, I want to thank you for coming into my daughter’s life and fathering such a fine son.  Dori couldn’t have asked for a better husband, and Carson couldn’t have had a better dad.  You loved and cherished them.  Nothing more that we could have asked for a son-in-law, a dad to my grandson, a husband to my daughter, and what you meant to Eric, Jennifer, and Eason.  We are all going to miss you around our place.

Love and thank you,
Pop, and the rest of the homestead.