Louis Pierocich

Billy Pierocich began life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 1940, and was given a nurturing home and abiding affection by his loving parents, Viola Bond and Matthew (Slim) Pierocich and sister Pal Pierocich Reeves.
Life was shared with close-knit aunts, uncles, and cousins and filled with memorable times on the Point in Biloxi and in Gulfport. A love of the Gulf and a passion for fishing stayed with Billy throughout his life. He was a draftsman, master carpenter, and builder of many homes along the Coast. His passion was enjoying his family and fishing with his dear friends.
With a creative mind, he loved to tinker, draw, and paint. Helping and doing for others was an innate gift. Billy was a graduate of Gulfport High School, class of 1956. He worked with his parents at the Palms Drive-In in Gulfport, where he met his future wife, Lillian Deschamp. Together, they reared their four children in Long Beach.
He leaves for his family a legacy of hard work, commitment, loyalty, and dignity. His presence remains with his devoted wife of 49 years, Lillian; their first-born, daughter Christine McMaster and son-in-law David; daughter Catherine Pierocich; daughter Deborah Fish and son-in-law Gean; and son Lee and daughter-in-law Kristie; and their beloved grandchildren: Christopher and Cari Taylor, Amy and Matthew Fish, Andrew and Taylor Cheselski, Mallory Pierocich, Amy McMaster, and Rachel Dyess, and great-grandchildren Isabel Agustin and Christopher Dyess.
Also surviving Billy are his loving sisters Pal, Willene, and Mildred; and many caring cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws whom he loved. Upon retirement, Billy sought information about his adoption and found the identity of his birth mother, Annie Bell Berry and birth father, Alphonso Koenig, and was thrilled to meet his new found family after 63 years of seperation: sisters Willene, Mildred, and half-sisters Carolyn, Annette, and Dean; and half-brothers Calvin (pre-deceased), Dennis, and Travis.
Billy was born Charles Clement Koenig on 5 April, 1937, and had a rich, full, and blessed life. He stoically endured many years fighting Parkinson's disease and passed to eternity on 23 October, 2006, at the age of 69.
Visitation will be Thursday, October 26, 2006 from 5 - 7 pm at St. Thomas Catholic Church, Daughtery Road, Long Beach. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 7 pm.
Our family wishes that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, NY, NY 10163 or the Mississippi Children's Home Society, 1900 N West Street, Jackson, MS 39215.
Gulf Coast Funeral Homes, Inc., Three Rivers Road Chapel, Gulfport in charge of arrangements and an online guestbook may be signed at www.gulfcoastfh.co