Larry Ray Pierce

Larry Ray Pierce

August 1, 1949 – December 8, 2021

Elder Larry Pierce, of the Farmington Heights Church of God, met his Lord and Savior, Jesus; His Father in Heaven; and the Holy Spirit, face to face and embraced them like never before, on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.

The family will receive friends Sunday afternoon from 2 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. at Farmington Heights Church of God, 910 Raleigh Road Parkway W, Wilson NC 27896. Funeral Services will be immediately following at 3:30 p.m.

Larry grew up in Elm City, NC, a small, but wonderful community. Everyone knew each other and encouraged each other to be the best they could be.

In 1968, at age 18, Larry went to Barber College in Huntington, West Virginia, the #1 Barber College in the nation. He received a Master Stylist degree. Larry’s salons have always been successful because he chose talented stylists to work with him and because he considered his cuts and designs to be a work of art. Larry’s clients were always important to him, because relationships with clients were Larry’s focus; they became his friends and family.

Jimmy Koenig, Red Hawkins, and Larry started Headhunters Hair Salon in the early seventies. In 1986, Larry opened Larry and Company which was a very successful business.

Joe Smith and Larry started J&L Rods and Classics, a car restoration business.

Gov. Jim Martin appointed Larry to the NC State Board of Barber Examiners in 1985, on which Larry served a five-year term. When offered the opportunity to serve for a second term, Larry declined, in order that a capable, younger person might take his place.

Special thanks to Dr. David Leeser, Dr. Scott Kendrick, Dr. Kristel McLawhorn and Dr. Heather Jones for providing Larry amazing medical care before and after his kidney transplant on June 25, 2019, which was a great success. Sadly Larry developed sarcoma cancer after the transplant. Dr. Musfarraf Navaid took excellent care of Larry during his cancer treatments. Larry had highest praises for Vidant Hospital in Greenville, NC.

Larry was asked by Dr. Carney Taylor of Eastern Nephrology to serve as the Independent Consumer Advocate to the Eastern North Carolina Kidney Care Entity, LLC in 2019.

Larry loved the Lord and the Farmington Heights Church of God, serving for 30+ years as Sunday school teacher, usher, deacon and elder. He demonstrated loving and strong support for his pastors during the last 40 years. His pastors were Pastor LaVon Phillips and Pastor Daylon Mooneyham. Both of these men and all the support staff are fantastic servants of the Lord.

Larry also loved the men he served with as deacons and elders. They were great men of God with great moral character, having been transformed into the image of Jesus.

Pastor Cliff Lewin introduced Larry to Prison Ministry, which opened Larry’s eyes to another group of hurting people. Pastor Cliff taught Larry about the hearts of people, even the prisoners.

Larry was a loving husband, father and friend to all who knew him. Larry was dearly loved and will be greatly missed and thought of with loving memories.

Larry is survived by the love of his life, Teresa Lynn Pierce; Son, Trey Lynn Cone and wife Heather of Morehead City; his brother, Henry Lee Pierce and wife Hilda of Rocky Mount; sister, Margaret Pierce Nicholson of Rocky Mount; sister, Erma Jean Pierce Braddy and husband LeRoy of Hobgood and two fantastic grandchildren, Mackenzie Lynn Cone and Saylor Grace Cone. Larry also had numerous nieces and nephews that meant the world to him as well. They all loved each other and all are in the family of God. Larry was the baby and they spoiled him rotten.

Larry’s father encouraged Larry in his relationship with Jesus and with using common sense. He was also another of Larry’s fishing buddies. Larry’s mom was an example to Larry. She was a great cook, a sweet woman, she loved others, and most importantly, demonstrated a steadfast faith in the Lord.

One of Larry’s greatest assets were his friends who numbered in the thousands.

Randolph Jenkins taught Larry how to be a better Bass fisherman. Randolph had six of his own children and considered Larry to be his seventh child. Together, Randolph and Larry became so good at tournament Bass fishing, that they had to be the last ones to sign up or others would back out of the tournament.

Larry always loved to bird hunt. Mack Bissett and Larry started bird hunting in high school. They started buying English Setters trained by Snookie Scott of Tillery, NC. Larry loved his setter, Kline.

Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to Farmington Heights Church of God, 910 Raleigh Road Parkway West, Wilson NC 27896 or Community Hospice of Wilson at 2841 Daisy Lane North, Suite E, Wilson NC 27896.

Condolences directed to Joyner’s Funeral Home and Crematory at www.joyners.net.