While being surrounded by his wife and children, Thomas (Tommy) Pierce, 64, quietly stepped into the next journey of his life on September 12, 2012. He was born in Sayre, PA at the Robert Packer Hospital on February 17, 1948 to Willis and Jean (Brown) Pierce. Tommy and his family for a brief time lived in Elizabethton, TN, before permanently settling in Sayre as a young boy. Tennessee has always held a very special place in his heart and when he traveled there, it brought him great peace. Tommy graduated from Sayre High School in 1967 where he played football and baseball. Upon his graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served in Cuba and on the USS America until 1970. His duties while stationed in Cuba were to operate various boats and to bring officers off the ships to shore. There are many stories to be told about his time there, but some of the most memorable ones are when he played softball for the Navy and that he still holds base records to this day. Tommy then stated his life on the railroad in 1971. He is a lifelong railroad man. He started his career with the LVRR as a conductor. Over the next 35-plus years, he worked for Conrail, Katy Railroad out of Texas, TPW (Toledo Peoria and Western Railway), and ended up retiring as an engineer in 2005 from NYSW (New York Susquehanna and Western Railway). He is a proud member of the Teamsters Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Division 521 union. The railroad gave him the chance to meet and make many lifelong friends all across the country. The railroad was a tough and demanding career but made it possible for Tommy to be able to provide a very good life for his family. In 1986, he and his wife along with their children moved from the Valley and bought what he would later in life call "God's Little Acre" in Van Etten, NY. There they completely rehabbed a home that continues to be the Pierce homestead today. He enjoyed the quiet country life and greatly enjoyed his garden. Over the past 11 years, his biggest joy in life has been watching his grandchildren enjoy "God's Little Acre" with him, growing pumpkins for the fall and being able to watch each one of them learn to swim in the family pool. One of his last wishes was to be able to see his daughter graduate Nursing School and that was accomplished in May of this year. Tommy's love lives on in his high school love and wife, Constance (Schrader) Pierce; his daughter and son-in-law, Shelby and Shawn McCutcheon, his step-daughter and son-in-law Heather and Jason Ward, his step-son and daughter-in-law Jason and Patricia Schamel, his grandchildren Thomas "Little Tommy", Carlee, Cameron, Kayne "AKA "Puddin" knick named by Tommy, Colby, Heidi, Benjamin, Michael, Emory and Lily, his sister, Sandra and Duane Hendrich, his brother Harold Pierce, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and childhood best friend Danny VanDuzer. Tommy was also very proud of his Cherokee heritage. So we leave you with this Cherokee Blessing: May the warm winds of Heaven blow softly upon your home, And the Great Spirit bless all who enter there. May your moccasins make happy tracks in many snows, And may the Rainbow always touch your shoulder. Graveside Services will be held on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 2PM at the Tioga Point Cemetery, 803 North Main Street, Athens, PA. Burial will be in Tioga Point Cemetery, Athens, PA. In lieu of flower donations, please make memorial donations to the Josh Palmer Fund, P.O. Box 3225, Elmira, NY 14905 or jpalmerfund.org. For those unable to attend the services and are wishing to sign the E-guestbook, or send condolences may do so by visiting www.loweryfuneralhome.com.