Jeffrey J. Pier of Waddington, N.Y. passed away peacefully surrounded by his family and friends on Friday, July 4, 2014, at Potsdam Hospital after an 18-month battle with kidney cancer.
Jeff was born Aug. 13, 1959 and raised in West Milford, the son of John and Jane Pier. He attended University of Maine at Orono for a brief time before embarking on his career as a professional ski racing coach. A well-known and respected ski coach, Jeff led programs at Hidden Valley Ski Area, Ford Sayer Academy in New Hampshire and St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. In addition to his ski coaching, Jeff led many coaching clinics for the United States Ski Association, was national chairman of NCAA alpine ski racing and occasionally coached with the U.S. Ski Team.
While among his accomplishments was coaching two racers to national championships in the NCAA, his passion and commitment to maximize every skier's potential was his greatest gift to ski racing and to his many athletes. Unwilling to spend too much time off the slopes, he ran summer ski camps in Europe and Canada.
After graduating magna cum laude from St. Lawrence University with a business degree in 2005 and Clarkson University with a master's degree in business administration in 2010, Jeff started Liberty Tax businesses in Plattsburgh and Malone, New York.
The number one focus of Jeff's life was three children, daughter, Jaleigh, son, Lance, and daughter, Talyne. In addition to his children and their mother, Elizabeth Pier, he is survived by his parents, John and Jane Pier of Vernon; his brothers and sisters-in-law, Greg and Diane Pier of Vernon, David and Karen Pier of Rockland, Maine, and John Pier and Stephanie Paine of Freeport, Maine; eight nieces and nephews; one great-nephew; and his companion, Donna Mae Wolf of Peru, N.Y.
An avid traveler, Jeff visited all 50 states and four continents. He and his son, Lance, recently completed climbing all 46 4,000 foot peaks in New York and were inducted into the 46er Club.
Jeff will be missed by family and friends. His life was remembered at the worship service of the Waddington United Methodist Church on Sunday July 6, 2014. He was also a member of the Plattsburgh Church of the Nazarene. Jeff, a man of strong faith, knew where he was headed at the end of this life, and said it was cause for celebration.
His request was that there be a party for him instead of a funeral. In accord with his wishes, a celebration of his life is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 10, 2015 at Whiteface Ski Area.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to either the Hope Lodge of Burlington, VT (237 East Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401-3412, 802-658-0649), or Relay For Life Plattsburgh (PO Box 280, Plattsburgh.