James Pierce, 54

James Randall Pierce, 54, passed away Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, at St. James Hospital in his hometown of Butte.

He was born on Dec. 27, 1969, to Juanita Marie Gingras and Doug Corwin and was raised with his two younger siblings in Butte and Missoula.

Jimmy attended school at Kennedy, Monroe, West Jr. High, East Jr. High and Butte High as well as Big Sky in Missoula. He had a charismatic personality and magnetic wit and made countless friends over the years in Butte who all considered him a brother.

In 1987 he joined the VFW Boxing Club and excelled in the amateur boxing scene rising to Golden Gloves Championship in 1988. He was an avid reader, lover of knowledge and philosopher extraordinaire.

In the early 90s he met his longtime love, Eva, in Butte and they raised two sons, Jason Lee (born March 7, 1992) and Jimmy Jr. (Dec. 10, 1994).

An enrolled member of the Salish and Kootenai Tribes, he was very proud of his heritage and spent sporadic years on and off the Flathead Reservation but always considered himself a “Butte Boy” and always returned to his hometown, becoming well known in the bar scene either bartending or just laughing, drinking and playing darts or pool with his many friends.

In 2012 he was blessed with his first grandson, Raiden Lee, then in 2016 with Avery Lee and James Abel.

He was preceded in death by his stepfather, James Clark Pierce, mother Juanita Marie Gingras and younger sister Mary Frances Rudd.

He is survived by his sons, Jason Lee Rossland (Christyna) of Portland, Ore., and James Carl Pierce of Great Falls; sister Yvonne Hanic of Belle Fourche, S.D.; brother Dan Hanic of St. Ignatius; Diana Templeton of Seattle, Wash., Donna Adams (Harry) of Seattle, Wash., and Dennis Pierce (Sarah) of Missoula; and many cousins, aunts, uncles and friends too numerous to list.

Jimmy's rosary is Friday, Jan. 10, and services are Saturday, Jan. 11, at 2:30 p.m. at Foster Funeral Home or the Longhouse in St Ignatius.