Born in Pickens, South Carolina, in 1926, Rev. Irene C. Pierce moved to Northeast Washington, D.C., at the age of nine. She lived with an aunt and uncle but also formed a strong bond with a couple who later introduced her to Asbury United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., where she has maintained a lifelong presence. A graduate of Cardozo High School, she was recruited into the Treasury Department in her senior year and began a 40-year career with the federal government, later working at the National Production Authority and the Department of Commerce. After a lifetime of service to the United Methodist Church, inside Asbury and around the world, always with a strong interest in women’s issues and education, Rev. Pierce was finally able to answer a call to the ministry. She received her license to preach at the age of 68, when she became the pastor of Elijah United Methodist Church in Poolesville, Maryland. At the age of 72, she retired from this church and returned to a paid position at Asbury, working on congregational care and various projects. Today, Rev. Pierce continues to volunteer with Asbury, and is a member of the Africa University Advisory Development Committee. She resides in Largo, Maryland, and has a daughter, two granddaughters and one great-granddaughter and one great-grandson.