James Malcolm Bierce

The Honorable James Malcolm Bierce, 79, of Port Clinton, Ohio died February 26, 2011 at Stein Hospice in Sandusky, Ohio. Judge Bierce was born in Columbus, Ohio on July 5, 1931 and was the son of Bruce Wallace Scotty and Glyde Vivian Brown Bierce. He attended Culver Military Academy and Western Reserve Academy. He served in the United States Navy from 1951 to 1954 before enrolling at the University of Akron, where he obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree. Subsequently, he was admitted to the practice of law in both Ohio and Michigan. His career in the legal field began with the City of Cuyahoga Falls where he was Assistant Director of Law. From there he began the private practice of law. After becoming a senior-managing partner he moved on to become Judge of the Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court in March of 1977. He was sworn in by his father, Scotty Bierce. It continued a legacy of the Bierce family and their service to others since the early 1800s, when they first arrived in Ohio. During his tenure as Judge over the past eighteen years, he has served as Presiding and Administrative Judge nine times. He was a member of the Akron Bar Association, the Ohio Bar Association, the Michigan Bar Association and the American Bar Association, and served on many of their committees. He also served as a national officer in the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. Giving unselfishly of his time and experience, he served as a faculty member of the Ohio Judicial College, chairman of the Cuyahoga Valley Community Health Center, trustee of the American Diabetes Association, advisory committee member of the University of Akron School of Law, member of the International Order of the Blue Gavel, president of the Akron Crime Clinic, trustee of the Municipal/County Court Judges Association of Ohio and had been appointed by Chief Justice Thomas Moyer to serve on statewide committees. Judge Bierce also was a member of the Cuyahoga Falls Lions Club, past president of the Cuyahoga Falls Fraternal Order of Police and past commodore of the Cedar Point Yacht Club. In his retirement years, Jims love for his family extended to a love just as equal to that of his living family, a love of genealogy and family history. He spent thousands of hours entering information about both his family and Fernes family, and developed a database of over 27, 000 ancestral names. He did extensive beta testing for LDS Mormon Church in the development and feedback of new genealogy programs, for which they will always be grateful. Jim is survived by Ferne Clemens Bierce, his wife of forty-three years, a son James and a daughter, Terry Bowen of Pataskala, Ohio; granddaughters Teresa Bill Morris and Stacy Tim Maynard, also of Pataskala; great-grandchildren Kayla and Derek Morris and Tessa, Cody and Travis Maynard; sister Julie Rudy McCullough of Naples, Florida; and sisters-in-law Jean Earl Roth and Peggy Kerry Lauritzen of Mansfield, Ohio and Betty Perry Demming of Akron, Ohio, as well as many dear nieces and nephews and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents Scotty and Glyde Bierce and stepmother Ruth Stauffer Fitch Bierce, and many other family members who are welcoming him with open arms, as well as the Lord Himself. All are invited to attend a memorial service conducted by Bishop William J. Reel at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4511 Galloway Road, Sandusky, Ohio on Saturday, March 12, 2011. A visiting hour to meet with family and friends will begin at 10:00 am, followed by the service at 11:00 am. The Relief Society will provide a luncheon for all family and friends immediately following the services. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that memorial contributions be made to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, c/o Bishop William J. Reel, 1010 Tyler Street, Sandusky, Ohio 44870-3147. Please designate either Humanitarian Aid or Fast Offerings. A private burial was held February 28, 2011 at Catawba Island Cemetery in Port Clinton to allow family members to say goodbye to Jim until we meet again.