Richard V. Pierard
May 29, 1934 ~ February 24, 2025
Born in:
Chicago, Illinois
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Richard V. Pierard, 90, of Asheville, North Carolina, passed away on February 24, 2025.
Dick was born May 29, 1934 in Chicago, Illinois to the late Jack P. Pierard and Diana Russell Pierard. He was raised in Richland, Washington, where his father worked at the Manhattan Project’s Hanford plutonium production facility. Dick served in the U.S. Army in Japan from 1954-1956. He earned a BA and MA in history from California State University–Los Angeles and a PhD in modern European history from the University of Iowa.
In 1957, Dick married his wife of 68 years Charlene Burdett of Hemet, California and together they welcomed two children, David and Cindy. He served as professor of history at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana from 1964 until his retirement in 2000, and went on to fill the Stephen Phillips Chair of History at Gordon College in Beverly, Massachusetts until 2006.
Dick was a prolific scholar, a caring mentor, an intrepid adventurer, and an occasional troublemaker who was not afraid to speak truth to power. Travel was a lifelong passion–taking him to six continents–and he saw himself as a citizen of the world. Dick held teaching positions or research fellowships in England, Germany, India, New Zealand, Scotland, and the former U.S.S.R., making many friends along the way. His knowledge was broad and deep–it was a rare topic on which he could not generate a lecture. He believed in civic engagement and provided service at the local, state, national, and international levels. He also found joy in singing and performed in numerous choirs and barbershop quartets. He was a terrible joke teller, but he loved a good laugh. His life was rooted in his Christian faith, and guided by love and the desire to keep learning. If death is a change of worlds, we can’t wait to catch up to him.
He is survived by his wife (Charlene) and son (David), both of Asheville, as well as his daughter (Cindy), son-in-law (Jim Dryden) and grandson (Henry P. Dryden), all of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is also survived by his brother Burt Pierard of Richland, Washington, his sister-in-law Geraldine Burdett of Asheville, and many other family members.
A celebration of Dick’s life is planned for Friday, May 30, 2025 at 1:30pm, in the Pulliam Chapel at Givens Estates. Inurnment will be at The Sacred Garden of First Baptist Church of Asheville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Baptist Historical Society or the Overseas Ministry Study Center.
Services
Memorial Service: May 30, 2025 1:30 pm
Pulliam Chapel at Givens Estates
100 Wesley Drive
Asheville, 28803
(828)274-4800
Funeral Home Assisting The Family:
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian
72 Long Shoals Road
Arden, NC 28704
(828)687-3530
http://www.grocefuneralhome.com
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A good friend and colleague. A full life well lived! Bill Ringenberg
Good old Dick! We ISU Librarians were some of Richard’s dearest chums. When we saw him and Bob Clouse coming down the hallway we knew were in for a lesson in civics and a good laugh. I look back with fond memories of the years we were both at Indiana State University. He was a true gentleman and a true scholar. And just a nice guy [but don’t get him riled up! – actually, no DO get him riled up and let him loose!]
He was one of the best professors I had. He would always take time to talk to students. I thought Dr. Pierard was a great person.
I remember him fondly as a colleague in the Conference on Faith and History. He and his dear friend, the late George Giakumakis were the among its founders. May their memories be blessed!
I had the privilege of singing with this wonderful gentleman as a member of the Banks of the Wabash Barbershop Chorus!
He was an inspiration every time he came…he imparted so much knowledge, wisdom and above all, humor!
Love to his whole family from these friends in Germay,
Mary and Dieter Boy
I was on the campus of Indiana State University in Terre Haute interviewing for a teaching job in the history department. I think it was January or February 2002. Dick Pierard, who spent his entire career in the ISU department (but was not on the search committee), pulled me into the men’s room to tell me that I did not want this job. He said that the teaching load was heavy, the department culture was not great, and the salary would be low. Later I learned that the department did not want me either. I had a good interview, but the committee was intent upon hiring a woman for their opening in early American history. I don’t think the person they hired lasted very long in the post.
From that point forward, Pierard, who passed away late last month at the age of 90, always kept his eye out for me. He was thrilled when I got my job at Messiah a few weeks after the ISU interview. He always went out of his way to greet me at biennial meetings of the Conference on Faith and History, an organization he helped to found in the late 1960s.
Dick was a scholar of American civil religion before civil religion was cool. He had a personality that resonated kindness and joy. I don’t think I ever saw him without a smile of his face, even when he was grilling the Christian Right in lectures and one-on-one conversations.
Dick will be missed.
For near 30 years Dick held together the Conference on Faith and History, an academic organization that has had a profound influence on the history profession. His passion, leadership, and laughter is embedded deep in it still.