Pierre Maurice Adler died on Aug. 10, 2024 at his home in Pleasanton. At just 38, and with so much more to give, Pierre left us way too soon. But he did not leave without a fight – a long and difficult fight. Pierre was a battler.

An East Bay native, he was born on Nov. 17, 1985. Pierre was the son of Charlene Kibby and Richard Adler, the stepson of the late Anthony Kibby, and the stepbrother of Jillian Kibby. He adored each of them. Pierre was the identical twin of Jeremy, who was also his best friend. They were both brilliant scholars at UC Berkeley – the beginning of their stellar careers as students – and Pierre’s professional life led him back to Cal, where he was a cherished colleague.

As a nephew, cousin and buddy, Pierre was beloved and admired by all. He was born, like Jeremy, with an extremely rare breathing disorder that made all of their challenges more challenging. But Pierre took them on with a fierceness that masked his gentle nature, even after the devastating blow of Jeremy’s death a decade ago.

Pierre’s company made all the good times better: the dinners out, the days at the ballpark, the camping excursions, the trips across the country, and the quiet conversations at home. He served up a delicious combination of smarts and laughs. Intellectually, he occupied a space that required a steep climb for the rest of us, and his thirst for knowledge extended to every conceivable subject. He was such a happy devourer of information that you had to wonder if he read in his sleep.

Ask him to name the capitals of any number of tiny and obscure nations, and he would never be stumped. Plenty of brainy people could tell you that competing against Pierre on his treasured trivia nights proved a humbling experience. He didn’t merely follow current events; he unraveled them with the insights of a historian-philosopher.

And he was funny – sometimes funnier than the headliners at his favorite comedy clubs. He would get the joke even in serious matters, usually by unearthing the one nugget that was a touch leavening. Pierre saw that sort of humor in much of everyday life. His laugh was like a suite of wind instruments – he and Jeremy played in the Cal Marching Band – that enchanted everyone around him.

We will celebrate Pierre at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at Sunset View Mortuary, 101 Colusa Ave., El Cerrito. Instead of sending flowers, please consider a donation to the CCHS Network (https://cchsnetwork.org), the wonderful charity for the condition that Pierre and Jeremy had from birth.

A reception following the celebration will be held at La Strada Ristorante Italiano, 2215 Church Lane, San Pablo.

In the end, in his final fight, Pierre raged on – raged to survive – but couldn’t overcome what was tormenting him. So he brought his suffering to an end, an unfathomable act that Pierre likely believed would somehow spare those he held closest. We are not spared. Losing Pierre is a pain with no balm. We are on our knees.

But there is the lasting blessing we received through loving him. And maybe someday we can find a glimmer of peace in knowing that the twins are reunited: Pierre and Jeremy have their tender shadows again. They are in the best of company with each other.

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