Arvid Lee "Shorty" Pierson was born August 31, 1933, in East St. Louis, Missouri, to George and Lucile (Krizer) Pierson. He passed away on February 1, 2017, in Pella.

Shorty's family moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa, when he was six. He attended Prine Country School and high school in Oskaloosa, where he received the Benz Trophy for High School Football and was selected as a Little All America football player in his senior year. He was recruited to play football by the University of Iowa, but he decided that college was not all about football, so he transferred to Central College in Pella, where he continued to play football and received the Schilder Trophy Blanket. While at Central, Shorty met Peggy Kuyper. They were married August 6, 1954, and are the parents of four children: Jeffrey, Graeme, Brent and Amy.

Shorty worked for Krizer Seed Corn, which was started by his grandfather in 1904 and later owned by his father, George Pierson. After Shorty served in the Navy from 1955 to 1957, he returned to his family seed business near Oskaloosa and retired one year ago from Pierson Seed Producers.

He loved to sing, served as an elder in the RCA from the age of 29, worked in prison ministries for 30 years, was active in Cursillo and TEC (Teens Encounter Christ), and was a member of Third Reformed Church.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Peggy, and their children and families:

Jeffrey and Virginia Pierson, Oskaloosa, Iowa
Dan and Karlyn Pierson, Rochester, Minnesota
Jeremy Pierson, Oskaloosa, Iowa

Graeme Pierson, Fort Worth, Texas
Amanda and Dennis Binns, Knoxville, Iowa
Alicia and Shawn Nance, Knoxville, Iowa
Allison Pierson, Pella, Iowa

Brent and Susan Pierson, Pella, Iowa
Stephanie and Calvin Roose, Pella, Iowa
Lindsey and Mitchell Palmer, Holdrege, Nebraska

Amy and Kevin Van Haaften, Pella, Iowa
Katelyn Van Haaften, Indianola, Iowa
Betsy Van Haaften, Pella, Iowa
Jennifer Van Haaften, Pella, Iowa

Shorty is also survived by eight great-grandchildren, his brother Royce and wife Connie Pierson from Florida, and his step-sister Judith Picken and husband Hal Dale from Illinois.

Visitation

3:00 P.M., Friday, February 3, 2017
With Family Present 5:00 - 7:00 P.M.
Third Reformed Church

Family Committal Service Prior To

Memorial Service

10:30 A.M., Saturday, February 4, 2017
Third Reformed Church
Pella, Iowa

Memorials

Lake View Camp – Angel Tree

Family

Wife: Peggy Pierson, Pella
Children: Jeff and Virginia Pierson, Oskaloosa
Graeme Pierson, Fort Worth, Texas
Brent and Susan Pierson, Pella
Amy and Kevin Van Haaften, Pella