Edward Pierce McLeroy, age 86, passed away in his sleep Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, of congestive heart failure.
He was the son of Mildred and Lynn McLeroy Sr. of Eatonton. He attended school in Eatonton and graduated from Putnam County High School in 1956. Pierce had one sister, Carolyn McLeroy Harper, who passed before him and left behind his two brothers, Lynn Jr and Terry.
He met his wife Linda Brook of Greensboro in 1958 and married in 1961. Pierce spent 4 years in the United States Air Force, where he began learning about computers in its earliest stage. It boosted his lifelong career, involving heavy travel, with them living in five states, including Paris, France. They finally settled in Stone Mountain, GA, where they spent the next 50 years, having raised their two daughters, Lisa and Kerri.
He was known as Ed in his workplace and Pierce at home amongst family & friends. His humor and dry wit were legendary.
Everyone who knows him seems to have a story or two.
A mechanic down to his core, Pierce built and rebuilt many engines and repaired many more.
A wrench or ball-peen hammer was never far from his reach. His family believed that he could fix anything, and he was often tested with that theory, usually affirming that belief.
He leaves behind Linda, his loving wife of 63 years; his daughters Lisa Schulte (Paul) and Kerri McLeroy; and his grandchildren Jon-Paul (Carlee) and Tyler (Alyson) Schulte, Kalen McLeroy, and Mitchell Bass (Kylee).
The loves of his life are his six great-grandchildren Ethan, Barrett & Luke Schulte, Kynslee Phillips, and Jaycee & Bryson Smith. Pierce adored being a terrific Papa to them all, as he was a wonderful dad to his girls. He always held dear to his heart his class of ‘56 classmates; to him, it was a special group of young people growing older and still caring for one another.
The funeral was held at Concord Methodist Church on Pea Ridge Rd in Eatonton on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., with a visitation an hour before.
Instead of flowers, donations to the church would be appreciated. Vining Ivy Hill Chapel was in charge of the arrangements.