John C. "Jack" Pierson

Tallmadge – John C. “Jack” Pierson, 75, passed away on November 20, 2022, after a prolonged illness.

Jack was the son of the late Dr. Marshall and Mary Helen Pierson. Jack was formally a member of St. Sebastian Catholic Church in Akron, OH and was currently a member of St. Eugene Catholic Church in Cuyahoga Falls, OH. Besides being devoted in his faith and to his family he spent many years being devoted to his community as a lawyer and a volunteer. He was a member of the Akron Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Foundation, Harvard Club, Western Reserve Land Conservatory, and The Torch Club.

Jack was a 1965 graduate of Hoban High School. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations from Harvard University in 1969 and a Master of Arts in Urban Planning from the University of Akron in 1974. He pursued his law degree from the University of Akron and was awarded a Juris Doctor in 1982. He served as the Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO) from 1978 to 1987 and served as legal counsel for Environmental Mitigation Group (EMG) before opening his own law practice in 1994.  He represented a wide range of individuals, companies and estates across northeastern Ohio as an environmental lawyer for over two decades before ending his practice in 2014. Throughout his adult life he volunteered in many capacities especially in church and in his sons’ activities. He was an avid reader, a bit of a pool shark and liked to play chess, cards, and games with family and friends. He thoroughly enjoyed serving as coach on his son’s various soccer teams throughout their time in elementary and middle school, and volunteering in various capacities at St. Sebastian.  One of his most important activities was guiding his sons through their academic and professional endeavors, proofreading their papers in the middle of the night, and guiding them into personal and professional adulthood. After retiring he stayed involved in the community through weekly time spent at the Mustill Store Museum, sharing his love of Northeastern Ohio history with visitors every Wednesday. He also focused on renewing his lifelong love of the piano and pleasantly endured being the oldest student in his piano recitals (by 50-60 years).  

In addition to his parents, Jack was preceded in death by his son Robert “Robbie” Leonard Pierson; his sisters Susan Cutler M.D. and Ann Pierson; brother Marshall J. III and sister-in-law Julia Pierson; brother David Pierson; parents-in-law Leonard and Martha Walker; and brothers-in-law Richard “Dick” Pasher and Jon Loffman.

He will be dearly missed by his wife of nearly 50 years, Janice; sons, John “Chris” (Hillary) Pierson Jr., Joseph Pierson M.D., and Andrew “Drew” Pierson; grandchildren, Lucy and Akira “Aki” Pierson; brothers, Michael (Ginny) and Robert (Valerie) Pierson; sister Mary (Bill Bordages); sisters-in-law, Karen Pierson, Dorothy Ann Pasher, and Joyce Loffman; brother-in-law David Cutler; 22 nieces and nephews, and many other extended family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Jack’s memory to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation by visiting https://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/, or to the Western Reserve Land Conservancy by visiting https://www.wrlandconservancy.org/.

Cremation has taken place and there will be a memorial visitation on Sunday November 27,2022 from 2pm to 4pm at the Clifford Shoemaker Funeral Home, 1930 Front Street, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221. On Monday November 28, 2022, at 11am there will be a memorial mass at St. Eugene Catholic Church, 1821 Munroe Falls Ave, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221.

To view tribute video, send condolences or sign the guest book, please visit

www.cliffordshoemaker.com.