Hurlburt Pierce

Obituary Hurlburt Matthew Pierce Hurlburt Matthew Pierce, know to all as Matt, passed away peacefully in Scottsdale, Arizona on June 7, 2005, at the age of 92. He was born October 8, 1912 in Warren, Arkansas to Hurlburt and Edna Gordon Pierce. Shortly thereafter, the family moved back to Coffeyville, Kansas, where he attended school through Coffeyville Junior College. He later attended the University of Kansas where he studied petroleum engineering. In the late 1930s, Matt moved to Long Beach, California, and found employment in refineries and chemical plants in that area. He met his wife Alice at that time, and they were married in November 1941, shortly before the outbreak of World War II. Matt served in the U.S. Coast Guard on the California coast for 3 years. Love of travel was in Matts blood, and he worked abroad for several engineering and oil companies during his career. He worked on projects in the Amazon basin of Peru, eastern Turkey, Iran, Germany and Kuwait, as well as Southern California. He and his family grew skilled at adapting to new countries and challenges as they moved around the world. Matt served as Plant Manager for construction and operation of the first modern oil refinery in Turkey in the mid-1950s. He spent the final 15 years of his career working as Chief of Safety Operations for the Kuwait National Petroleum Company prior to his retirement in 1979. Matt and Alice returned to the U.S. and enjoyed 26 years of retired life and golfing in Scottsdale, Arizona. Matt was an excellent golfer, and learned the game in boyhood as a caddy on the courses of Coffeyville. He enjoyed his retirement job for several years as a course marshal at the Scottsdale Country Club. He hit his last hole-in-one at age 82. Survivors include his wife Alice, daughters Barbara Johnson and Lesley Pierce Nemiroff, grandchildren Amity Vetere and Jessie and Daniel Nemiroff and great-granddaughters Sierra and Savannah Vetere. He is also survived by his son-in-law Barry Nemiroff, Paul Vetere, and nieces and nephews who remember him as their favorite uncle. All reside in Pennsylvania, California and Kansas. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Wilma Leisure and brothers John Pierce and Robert Pierce. It was Matts wish to return to his roots, and his remains will be interred at the family plot at Fairview Cemetery in Coffeyville at a private graveside service on November 4. Services are under the direction of Penwell-Gabel Ford-Wulf-Bruns Funeral Home of Coffeyville. Please visit www.PenwellGabel.com to leave a condolence for the family.