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8/27/2026 John Richard Pierson -


John Richard Pierson
12/02/1953 - 08/25/2026
John Richard Pierson, age 72, of Holland, Ohio, passed away after an eight-month battle with glioblastoma. True to who he was, John met his diagnosis with humor and grit, bringing laughter into even the toughest days.
John was born in Toledo and was a lifelong resident of the area. He graduated from St. John's High School in 1972 and earned his degree in Business from the University of Toledo in 1976. Upon graduating, he started a business alongside his father that became Pierson Custom Equipment, selling and servicing commercial restaurant equipment, including for the many beloved ice cream stores across Northwest Ohio. His brother, Mark, joined him, and from 1977 on, John never worked for anyone but himself, a true entrepreneur who was confident in his instincts and not afraid of a risk.
What John loved most about his work was the challenge. He was a lifelong tinkerer who loved solving a mechanical problem – sometimes coming up with the solution in his dreams – and he built real friendships with his customers along the way. He always picked up the phone, often talked someone through a fix for free rather than charge a service call, and would make an hours-long trip if that's what it took. One customer put it simply this week: "he was irreplaceable." Working for himself also meant he could set his own schedule, which he happily used to volunteer for his kids' field trips, especially the ones headed to Cedar Point.
John was a devoted traveler, somewhat improbably, since he was not an adventurous eater, but he loved seeing how other people lived. His travels took him across Europe, through Florida to visit close friends, and to Aruba, Jamaica, Mexico, Australia (his favorite), and on cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska with his wife, Janice, and family and friends. He liked skiing, both on water and downhill, maintaining full confidence in his abilities despite years between attempts, usually at the cost of a few bruises or pulled muscles. He took pride in being able to ride a unicycle, something he'd dust off about every five years to prove he still could, until a memorable attempt a few years ago finally convinced him to retire it for good.
He loved outdoor jazz shows and a round of golf, could identify almost any car on sight, and adored dogs. He liked sending people articles he associated with them, usually without reading them himself first, and texting silly cartoons or photos just to make people smile.
John was known for bringing the laughs, with a healthy dose of sarcasm, and for gravitating toward people who appreciated that sense of humor as much as he did. Above all, John loved being helpful. He hired people who'd fallen into hard times, conducted diligent research on cars and appliances when family members were looking to buy, and strongly supported local small business owners. He had a gift for coming up with an idea and turning it into a tradition, such as Dad's Fun Days and the College Motorcycle Tour – both ways of staying connected to his kids, nieces, and nephews, and getting to know their friends along the way. And his kids always knew that if they needed him, he'd be there, including once flying to Denver and back in about 16 hours just to install a dishwasher for his daughter, and turning that same trip into a surprise 30th birthday adventure for his nephew, Matt, who loved to fly and got to spend the whole day with his uncle.
John was enormously proud of his kids and their accomplishments, and of the confidence it took for each of them to leave home and build lives of their own, which gave him an excuse to visit them in five states over the years. He was proud of his work as a renovator/remodeler, having fully updated three homes and an apartment/office building, and he loved nothing more than giving someone the full tour.
John's legacy is best captured in the way he lived: you can probably do more than you think you can, so it's worth giving it a real try before assuming you can't. And above everything else, you always have time to help somebody out.
John was preceded in death by his father, Richard "Dick" Pierson; his mother, Rosemary Pierson; and additional family, including his favorite uncle, William "Uncle Bill" Pierson. He is survived by his wife, Janice Pierson; his three children, Chris Pierson, Sean Pierson, and Kelly Pierson; his twin brother, Jim (Lori) Pierson; his sister, Barb (Rick) Mertes; his brother, Mark (Lori) Pierson; his nine nieces and nephews, and their many children.
John lived a full, generous, laughter-filled life, and he will be deeply missed by everyone lucky enough to have known him.
We will welcome friends at the Reeb Funeral Home, 5712 North Main Street, Sylvania, OH, on Sunday, August 30th, from 3-7 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 5373 Main Street, Sylvania, OH, on Tuesday, September 1st, at 10 a.m., with a luncheon to follow.
The family suggests that contributions be made to the Glioblastoma Foundation, as standard treatment for this disease has not meaningfully advanced in decades and research remains significantly underfunded. Glioblastoma is the most common type of primary brain cancer, has one of the lowest survival rates of any cancer, and cases have been on the rise in recent years.
www.reebfuneralhome.com

5/21/2017 Lorene Swearengen - Obituaries
Lorene Swearengen
A graveside service has been set for Lorene Swearengen who passed away on December 14, 2016, in Owatonna, Minnesota. It will be held on Friday, May 26, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at Restlawn Memorial Park, 3665 Genoa Road, Perrysburg, OH 43551. In the event of rain it will be held in the chapel. There will be a luncheon afterwards at 2111 Shoreland Ave., Toledo, OH 43611.