Necrology

Gregory Richard Pierce

Jul. 23, 1962-Oct. 9, 2019

Gregory Richard Pierce, professor of psychology emeritus, was born on July 23, 1962, in Springfield, Ill., where he spent his early childhood years before moving with his family to Tacoma, Wash. His parents were Ronald Pierce and Donna Gail Pierce MacMillan.    

Pierce earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from the University of Washington before joining the Hamilton faculty in 1991. His research focused on social and personality psychology, in particular stress and coping and the effect of negative thoughts on performance in areas ranging from academics to athletics. He authored dozens of papers and publications that reflected his expertise in supportive relationships and cognitive interference. His work appeared in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, and the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, among others.

Active in the campus community, Pierce served on the Committee on Academic Standing, the Planning Committee for New Student Orientation, and the Committee on Student Activities. From those and other experiences, he formed a strong interest in the academic development of students, which led to his appointment as associate dean of students (academic) in 1998, noted Dean of Faculty Suzanne Keen in a campus email announcing his death.

When Pierce was promoted to professor in 2004, Dean of Faculty David Paris ’71 wrote, “Students have high praise for his teaching but also note his contact with them outside of his classes and his interest in their nonacademic endeavors.”

Gregory R. Pierce died on Oct. 9, 2019, at the age of 57. He is survived by his former wife, Penny Yee, the James L. Ferguson Professor of Psychology at Hamilton, and their three children, including Katie Pierce ’14.

 

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