The story of the Pierce family began in Winnipeg in the early twentieth century, when Beryl and Esther Pierce came to Canada to establish a new life for themselves and their children. Through hard work, a commitment to education and a strong connection to their Jewish community, they built a family whose succeeding generations continued to benefit from the opportunities they created.

Beryl (Benjamin) Pierce was born in 1883 in Poltava, then part of the Russian Empire and now Ukraine. He immigrated to Canada in 1912 and settled in Winnipeg, where he became a pioneer in the fur industry. A skilled designer and cutter, he established Pierce Fur Company in the Exchange District. The building that housed the business was later designated a municipal historic building.

In 1914, his wife, Esther Neaman Pierce, arrived in Winnipeg with their two young sons, Moe and Fred. The family eventually grew to include eight children: Moe, Fred, Sara, Max, Jack, Patty, Gertie and Brownie. Sara, born in 1916, died in 1920.

The Pierces lived at the corner of Stella and Aikins, where their home was always welcoming to family and friends. They maintained a kosher household, and the children attended Talmud Torah. Esther was active in the school's Muter Farein and canvassed for Klal Yisrael.

Beryl, remembered by his youngest daughter, Brownie, as a quiet and hardworking man, expected his children to contribute to the family business. They worked at Pierce Fur Company after school and during summer holidays.

Both Beryl and Esther placed great importance on education. Beryl believed that his daughters should have the same educational opportunities as his sons. As the older children completed their studies and began working, they helped finance the university educations of their younger siblings. Hard work, integrity, education and tzedakah were important values in the Pierce household.

Moe Pierce

Maurice (Moe) Pierce was born in 1910. He became a physician specializing in eye, ear, nose and throat medicine. He married Ethel Resnick, and they had a daughter, Sheila.

During the Second World War, Moe served overseas and landed in Normandy three days after D-Day. While he was away, Sheila spent time living with her grandparents and aunts in the Pierce family home.

Sheila Pierce Brodovsky's life story is also recorded in the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba's Book of Life.

Fred Pierce

Fred Pierce was born in 1912. He married Sara Solove, and they had two children, Richard and Rosalee.

Richard died at the age of thirty-five. Rosalee later lived in Los Angeles, where she died in May 2021. She is survived by her son, Sam.

Max Pierce

Max Pierce was born in 1918. Like his older brother Moe, he became a physician specializing in ear, nose and throat medicine.

He met his wife, Barbara, in New York City, and they subsequently moved to California. Max died in 1984, and Barbara died in 2026. They are survived by their four children, John, Michelle, Nicole and Jeanine.

Jack Pierce

Jack Pierce was born in 1920. He became a dentist who specialized in treating children with special needs.

He married Lois and died in 2014. Jack's life story is recorded separately in the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba's Book of Life.

Patty Pierce Bay Sherman

Patty Pierce was born in 1922. She married Sam Bay, and they had two daughters, Francie and Avis.

Sam died in 1966 at the age of fifty-two. Following his death, Patty returned to school and became a teacher. She later married Jack Sherman.

Patty died on January 4, 1991. She is survived by her daughters, Francie and Avis.

Gertie Pierce Nepon

Gertie Pierce was born in 1928. She married David Nepon, and they had three sons, Allan, Mark and Jack.

Gertie died on December 26, 2025. She is survived by her three sons.

Brownie Pierce Fleishman

Brownie Pierce was born in 1931, the youngest of Beryl and Esther's children.

She married Harold Fleishman, and they had three daughters, Mira Zweiban, Ellen and Deborah.

Brownie and Harold's life story is also recorded in the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba's Book of Life.

A Family Legacy

Beryl and Esther Pierce came to Winnipeg as immigrants and established a successful business, a welcoming home and a family firmly connected to Jewish life.

They placed particular importance on education, ensuring that all their children, sons and daughters alike, had opportunities to pursue their studies and professions. Their children, in turn, helped one another and established families of their own.

Their story is a record of one immigrant family's contribution to Winnipeg and its Jewish community, and of the values of hard work, education, family responsibility and tzedakah that Beryl and Esther passed on to succeeding generations.

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