Biography:

Dr. Roger Victor Pierson was born in London, England on the 10th of October, 1920.  Dr Pierson’s parents were Harry Pierson and the former Gladys Rosina Cole.  When he was 19 years old, he served in the British Army from September of 1939 to October of 1946.

Dr. Pierson married Priscilla Catherine Squires in late 1943.  Mrs. Pierson was born in Woolwich, London, England on the 27th of April, 1921.  She was the youngest of 3 children born to Walter Henry Squires and the former Priscilla Keeling.  Her father died when she was 3 years old.  In 1946, Dr. and Mrs. Pierson resided at 41 Appleton Road in Woolwich, London, England.  Between 1958 and 1961, Dr. and Mrs. Pierson separated and eventually divorced.  Catherine Priscilla Pierson died in Shropshire, England on the 15th of January, 2001.

After his discharge from the British Army, Dr. Pierson attended the University of London’s, Medical College of St. Bartholomew.   He graduated M.B.,B.S. in October of 1952.  Dr. Pierson was a house surgeon for the next 2 months followed by a stint as a house obstetrician from December of 1952 until April of 1953.  He did a preceptorship in general practice from April to November of 1953.  Dr. Pierson became an assistant physician in a general medical practice from November of 1953 until October of 1954.  He then became a principal physician in a general medical practice from October 1954 until September of 1958.

Dr. Pierson trained in psychiatry at Friera Hospital in London, England, starting in 1956 while he was still working in the general medical practice.  The training covered hypnotherapy and psychotherapy with a specialized focus on alcoholics.  Dr. Pierson became a surgical resident at Doctors Hospital in New York City from October 1958 to June, 1959.  He followed up with a psychiatric residency at State Hospital at the University of Iowa starting in July of 1959 until June of 1960.  He completed his second and third year of his psychiatric residency at Pontiac State Hospital in Pontiac, Michigan.  Dr. Pierson was the Staff Psychiatrist from November of 1962 to March of 1963 at the Pontiac State Hospital.  Dr. Pierson also served as the Clinical Director at The Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia where he established  and managed a new treatment unit for alcoholics.  Dr. Pierson was the Clinical Director of Western State Hospital in Hopkinsville Kentucky, when he was offered the position of Director of the Mental Health Clinic in Chatham.

Dr. Pierson married Margot Pollock on September 29th, 1964 in Clarksville, Tennessee.  Mrs. Pierson was born on the 1st of August, 1922 in England.  It was a second marriage for both parties.  Dr. and Mrs. Pierson had 2 children including a son named Peter Hamilton Pierson.  The couple separated in 1969 and they divorced in 1971.

Dr. Pierson moved to Chatham in September of 1967, where he assumed the position as the Director of the Mental Health Clinic at the Public General Hospital in Chatham.  Dr. Pierson was the first director of the newly formed unit.

Dr. Pierson had a number of memberships in various organizations.  He belonged to the Oakland City Medical Society of Michigan, the American Psychiatric Association, the Canadian Medical Association, the Ontario Medical Association and the Kent County Medical Society.  He was a sought after speaker lecturing on psychiatric care focusing especially on the care of alcoholics.

Dr. Pierson married Ann Lee Preddy on the 3rd of July, 1971 in Gadsden, Florida.

Dr. Pierson moved to the United States and at various times lived in Florida and Virginia.  Dr. Pierson died on the 9th of June, 1996 in Danville, Virginia.