Ken Ray Pierce

Ken Ray Pierce, a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Provo, Utah, following a courageous battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his devoted wife, Sherrie Xue Chun He Pierce, and many of his twelve children, fifty-six grandchildren, and twenty great-grandchildren.

Early Life and Texas Roots

Ken was born on December 1, 1945, in Vernon, Texas to Melvin Wayne Pierce and DeVeryl Skinner. He spent his youth in Texas and Oklahoma, working alongside his father in the family masonry business. He shared a close bond with his older brother, Gene, and his uncle, John, often spending warm gulf coast evenings fishing or playing on the beach as their mother’s piano music drifted on the breeze. As a teenager in Vernon, his charisma and fun-loving spirit were put to use helping his parents manage a roller skating rink.

Ken Ray found his passion for music early, learning to play the guitar from his cousin, Dallas Roy. Blessed with a Johnny Cash-like voice, Ken frequently entertained friends and family at gatherings and regularly performed at church and community events. While he was invited by a big record company to Nashville to pursue a career as a country music star, he ultimately chose to prioritize his family over the demanding time commitment such a path would require. Ken had a contagious laugh and was a life-long friend to all who knew him no matter where he lived.

Marriage and Career

In the early 1960s, at age 16, Ken relocated with his parents to Page, Arizona, where his father worked on the Glen Canyon Dam construction. It was in Page that he met Trudy Kay Bennett, the striking, talented, red-haired future homecoming queen who would become the first love of his life. Trudy was a little skeptical of this new kid in town who wore flip flops and tank tops in public. It seems true that opposites attract. They discovered a shared interest in creative drawing and painting. Shortly after Trudy's high school graduation in 1965, the two were married.

Their initial move to follow construction work took Ken and Trudy to Colorado, where their first son, Shayne, was born. Although having no experience in infant care at first, Ken developed his own unique and mastered techniques over the years, often demonstrating them to friends. These included balancing a baby in his palms, lifting them by their tight grip on his index fingers, or even securing a baby's arms to the crib to ensure the bottle remained in place during feeding.

While working in Colorado at the canyon construction site, Ken suffered a severe accident, falling over 100 feet and breaking his back. During his recovery, he attended some college art classes on scholarship while he took on odd jobs selling vacuums and reading utility meters to support his growing family.

Seeking better employment opportunities, they moved to Houston, Texas, where four more sons—Brady, Bryon, Travis, and Jared—joined the family. Trudy encouraged him to find more purpose by reading “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. Ken took that book to heart and started working at Shamrock gas stations and quickly advanced, eventually managing fifteen or more locations. This promotion led to the family's move to Vidor, Texas, where their sixth son, Kaleb, was born. Ken's time in Texas was filled with favorite outdoor pursuits like taking his boys fishing and hunting. They also maintained a lifelong love for dogs from Great Danes to Maltese.

With six boys all under the age of ten, Ken and Trudy decided to move back to Page, Arizona, to be closer to Trudy's family including her parents and her sister Debbi. Ken really missed the red rock landscape of Page, even painting a picture of a dream he had. Once back in Page, Ken successfully passed the required examinations to secure a long-term position as a plant operator at the Navajo Generating Station power plant, difficult but important shift work; he held that position for 25 years until his retirement.

A Growing Family and Enduring Faith

Back in Page, his family with Trudy was completed with the addition of their first baby girl, Joely, followed by twins Dorey and Dan, then Benjamin and finally Lynny, bringing the total to eleven children. The canyons and terrain of Page led to many opportunities for outdoor family fun like ATV trails and archery hunting hobbies for Ken. Most summer days Ken would load the kids into the pickup and coast to the “chains” swimming hole at Lake Powell.

Though not a member initially, Ken often served many hours assisting Trudy in her various church callings and stake activity projects in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). He was a regular parent-leader in scout camps and hikes. He was eventually converted and baptized a member of the LDS faith in 1980, a big contrast for Ken who had been raised a member of the RLDS faith. He served as Sunday School President in his Page ward.

Ken faced significant loss throughout his life. In 1966, he lost his beloved brother Gene due to Vietnam Navy radiation exposure. Two decades later, in 1986, tragedy struck again when his 4-year-old son Dan passed away from complications following heart surgery. This devastating event, however, deepened the family's faith and hope, bringing them closer. The following year brought another heartbreak when his father, Melvin, was killed in a shocking car accident. His widowed mother, Deveryl, subsequently moved to Page and remained a constant part of his life until her passing at age 103, just one year ago.

Ken proudly supported all of his sons when they served various missions around the world for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Two of his sons also served in the United States military, and many of his children have attended college and earned degrees.

Later Years and Final Chapter

In 2005, Trudy was diagnosed with lung cancer. Ken attended to her every need through her quick decline and ultimately her passing. He missed her terribly, but eventually married Sherrie Xue Chun He in China in 2006 and adopted her daughter Sally as his own. Sherrie has been a great blessing to the family and has been so caring for Ken through the years. Together they traveled several times to China where Ken learned to love her culture and food. Eventually Ken and Sherrie were able to receive sacred priesthood covenants in the St George Temple, eternally uniting their families. After his retirement from the power plant, he and Sherrie moved to Pleasant Grove,Utah where he has lived now for more than ten years.

Ken Ray Pierce's legacy lives on through his large and growing family and extended family, which includes his 12 children plus spouses, 56 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren and all of Trudy and Sherrie’s family. Ken has had many close friends over the years. He treated everyone like a family member.

A cherished family tradition involved singing the country song "Po’ Folks" by Bill Anderson with Ken leading the vocals and playing his 12-string guitar. A line from the song that captures the spirit of Ken’s home was: "But we had something in our house money can’t buy. Kept us warm in the winter and cool when the sun was high. Well whenever we didn’t have food enough, and those howling winds could get mighty rough, we’d patch up the cracks and set the table with love, ‘cause that’s what you do when you’re poor folks, and we weren’t nothing but poor folks!"

Despite the "poor folks" lyric, the family always felt truly rich with Dad's presence. Ken Ray Pierce will be profoundly missed by all who knew him. Rest in peace, we love you, Dad.

Ken’s Family

Ken’s parents were the late Melvin Wayne Pierce and Deveryl Skinner with his older brother Gene DeWayne.

With the late Trudy Kay Bennett, Ken’s children and families are: Shayne and Heidi Pierce are parents to McKay (married to Kenzie, with children Bennett, Brooke, and Carter), Aubrey (married to Adam Dalton, with children Wade and Annibelle), Leah (married to Thomas Holmes, with children Wesley and Noah), and Trevor, Meagan, Sarah, Kendra, and Ezra. Brady and Keely Pierce are parents to Kaylor (married to Houda), Haven (married to Christian Coppieters, with children Adeline, Elowyn, and William), Tanaysia (married to Warren Davis, with child Sonny), Danica (married to Ammon Storey, with children Payson and Oakley), Tairson (married to Kira), and Skydon, Daylon, Kaetla, and Jaydi. Bryon Pierce, married to Darcy Hansen, is father to Onna (married to Anthony Walker), Gabriel (married to Emily, with daughters Genesis, Evnia, and Azalea), the late Isaac, and Logan Hansen. Travis Pierce. Jared and Emily Pierce are parents to McKay Zar, Chase, Luke, Jack, and Brynn. Kaleb Pierce is the father of Porter (married to Kenzie, with son Jett), Elsa, Carson, Jones, Laila, and Capella. Joely and Jacob Huggard are parents to Shay (married to Jon Sledge), Kenzy (with daughter Violet), Linzy, and Myla. Dorey Ponce, married to Jeffery Hall, are parents to Dorin, Aidan, Benson, Emory, Scout Hall (married to Anna, with daughters Adeline and Magnolia), Rivers Hall, Talon Hall, and Rainer Hall. The late Dan Dorin. Benjamin and Tiffany Pierce are parents to Maxwell, Kena, Miyah, Hudson, and Pyper. Lynny and Peter Jones are parents to Pierce, Helen, and Trudy.

With Sherrie Xue Chun He Pierce, Ken has a step-daughter, Sally, who is married to Ryan Wiscombe and has two children, Blake and Lexi.

Services

Funeral services will be held Saturday March 21, 2026 at 1:00 pm in the Anderson & Sons Lone Peak Chapel 6141 West 11000 North, Highland, Utah. A viewing will be held prior to the services from 11:45 am to 12:45 pm at the mortuary.