Robert Melvin Pearce
October 28, 1944 - November 6, 2020
After a long battle with dementia and various other medical conditions, Robert Melvin Pearce passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 6, 2020, at First Adult Care Home in Tucson, Arizona.
Bob was born in Denver, Colorado on October 28, 1944, son of the late Melvin Pearce and Patricia Nolan Pearce.
After his father’s military retirement in 1959, the Pearce family relocated from California to Sierra Vista, Arizona.
Bob attended Catholic grade school at Orange Grove, California. After moving to Sierra Vista, he attended local schools, graduating from Buena High School in 1964 after which he enlisted in the United States Air Force.
Upon completion of his enlistment, Bob returned to make Sierra Vista his permanent home.
While attending Cochise College he was hired as a patrolman for the Sierra Vista Police Department. Shortly afterwards, he was assigned to the Detective Division.
Bob was selected by the Police Department and was approved by the FBI to attend an 11-week training period at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
This training was invaluable and was used throughout his career.
During his 33 years of working with the Sierra Vista Police Department as "Detective Pearce", Bob wore many hats. To name a few: arson investigator, K-9 handler, polygrapher, and taught criminal investigation courses at Cochise College.
Bob was truly honored to wear the badge and to uphold the law--even when his decision was not the popular one (he would not let me, his wife, kiss him goodbye if he was in his patrol car because it was "against regulations").
Throughout his career Bob received many commendations from the Sierra Vista Police Department, the City of Sierra Vista, as well as from many businesses and organizations; to include the Fraternal Order of Police award of "Police Officer of the Year 1974".
Bob will be forever loved and cherished. And always remembered for his "Bob stories".
Bob is preceded in death by his parents and former wife, Linda Havens.
Robert is survived by his wife of 43 years, Dorothy (Dottie) Pearce and son Alex Robert Pearce; two daughters from a previous marriage, Christine Collier and Deborah Pearce, both of Laurel, Massachusetts; grandson Carson Collier of Laurel, Massachusetts; sister Sharon Pearce Cisterna of Gilbert, Arizona; and many nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at St. Andrew the Apostle Church, 800 N. Taylor Drive, Sierra Vista, on Friday, November 13, 2020. A rosary will be said at 11:15 a.m. followed by mass at 12:00 noon.
Private interment will be held at a later date.
Bob, I know you are with our Lord and in a better place, but don’t forget, I will always love you, Bobby.
"If you could see me now remember my spirit, that’s the real me. I’m still very much alive, oh, if you could only see! The angels all rejoiced as I entered the Promised Land. I’ve beheld our Father’s face. If you could see me now…" unknown author.
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