Robert Pierce
Newspaper legend dies at 79

Robert Pierce, a reporter and editor at The Columbia) State for 42 years who knew something about every small South Carolina town, has died. He was 79.

Pierce retired from the newspaper in 1990 as senior associate editor. He died Tuesday, according to Dunbar Funeral Home.

Pierce joined The State in 1948 and held several jobs including assistant copy desk chief, news editor, and managing editor.

While working as state news editor in the 1960s, Pierce supervised correspondents across South Carolina and wrote a prize- winning series on black migrant laborers.

"You could name any hole- in- the- road in South Carolina, and Bob could tell you something about the community and its people," said Thomas McLean, former executive editor and editorial page editor.

Pierce's book Palmettos and Oaks: A Centennial History of The State,

The State covered and The Columbia Record, an afternoon paper The State bought in 1945 and closed several decades later.

Pierce's other works include a memoir, South Carolina and Me: Special Places

People and Times that was published in 1992, and SCANA's First 150 Years: Building

on Success, a history of South Carolina Electric and Gas Co.

He also wrote dozens of entries for the South Carolina Encyclopedia, published last year.

Pierce is survived by his wife, Dianne Chinnes.

A graveside service was held July 27 at Springfield Cemetery in Pierce's hometown of Springfield.

A memorial service was held July 27 at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church in Columbia. A reception for friends was held immediately after at Dianne's on Devine.