Everett Thomas Pierce passed away peacefully on November 28, 2025.
Tom was born on June 24, 1947, to Yvette A. and Everett T. Pierce in Stamford, Conn., where he was raised. After graduating from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont, he returned to Connecticut for his first job in advertising in New York City during the MadMen days. Vermont had spoiled him, so he returned to the Green Mountains to work with Fayston Company who owned and managed Glen Ellen ski area. In 1977 he partnered with Michael Kehoe to open a fine men’s clothing store on the corner of Church and College Street in the city of Burlington, where they had a partnership for 42 years. After Michael retired in 2020, Tom rebranded the business naming it MK Clothing, with partners Sadie and Hagen Peyser, who are longtime friends.
Tom served on many boards over the years, including the associate board of the University of Vermont Medical Center, Friends of the Vermont State House and the University of Vermont’s Fleming Museum of Art. He also served multiple positions in the Society of Colonial Wars in the state of Vermont through his 13th-generation descent from his namesake, Thomas Pierce, of Charlestown, Mass.
In 2021 Tom served as the cocurator of works by Vermont’s 19th-century landscape artist Charles Louis Heyde, with an accompanying book, featuring the paintings that were highlighted at the UVM Fleming Museum of Art.
Tom was grateful for the world class care he received from Dr. Peter Gunter and his wife, Paulette Thabault; Dr. Kreager Taber; Dr. Steve Ades and Dr. Michael Stutzman; along with the entire staff at the UVM Medical Center, especially the Oncology, Radiology and Emergency Room Departments.
Tom thanks the many friends who supported him through his final days, especially Dr. William and Barbara Ryan, Clare and Sam Wool, and, most especially, Meg and Luke McGovern.
He is survived by his sisters, Sheryl Pierce (Scott Terres) of Naples, Fla., and Meredith (Gerald) Bailey of Jeffersonville, Vt., and nephews, Collin Bailey of Burlington, Vt., and Ryan Bailey of Steamboat Springs, Colo.
A celebration of life will take place at the Catholic Center on the Redstone Campus at UVM in Burlington on Saturday, December 6, at 10 a.m. Please wear your finest haberdashery attire to honor TP, a city of Burlington iconic businessman, art enthusiast and loving friend to all those whose lives he touched throughout his stellar career and wonderful lifetime here among the gardens and Green Mountains that he loved so dearly. A reception will follow at the Burlington Country Club.
Burial will be private in Stamford, Conn., where Tom will be laid to rest in the Pierce family plot.
Donations may be made in Tom’s name to the Catholic Center at UVM, a place where he found great solace and comfort. He attended services there weekly and was a steadfast volunteer for the center. The address is 390 South Prospect St., Burlington, VT 05401 or online.
This article appears in Dec 3-9 2025.
Tom was a great business partner for my brother Michael and the store they created filled a niche in the clothing field. Upscale, smart, both traditional and innovative lines of clothing that gave a lot of weight to the old saw “clothing makes the man”. Tom was sweet, giving and genuine. I didn’t know of his pursuits outside of work and he obvioualy led a full and fulfilling life. RIP