Joanne Pierce

With a contagious zest for life, Joanne Pierce was a delight to know and love. She was kindhearted, thoughtful, and generous, especially when it came to feeding others. It was easy to see that Joanne shared the majority of her life’s journey with her true love with whom she welcomed children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren into her heart. She was thrifty and resourceful with a strong work ethic as well. Joanne will be remembered for her unending love for and devotion to her family. Although she will be deeply missed, her memory will remain forever near and dear to the hearts of all who were blessed to feel her touch.

The 1930s were primarily defined by the Great Depression that cloaked our nation and much of the world in unrelenting hardship. With a soaring unemployment rate people were left to do whatever they could to make ends meet. Things only became more challenging when a crippling drought gripped much of our nation’s heartland for nearly two years during the mid-thirties. Despite the trying times around them, a young couple from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was able to shift their focus to an exciting time in their own lives as they were pleased to announce the birth of their baby girl on February 12, 1932. Joanne B. was welcomed into the world by her parents, Paul and Claudia (Baker) Angell, who met during WWI. Her father founded Newlywed Foods in Chicago while her mother worked in a factory. Joanne’s mother was also a WWI veteran.

When she was six or seven years old, Joanne moved to Chicago. She later attended All Saints Episcopal School for Girls in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Joanne commuted back and forth by train to Chicago to visit her father. During the days of WWII in the early forties the train was always full of army troops. Joanne’s experience at school was not always easy as she had some hazing to contend with. It was also tradition that the freshmen girls were required to clean the rooms of the senior girls. On one occasion Joanne hazed right back by gluing all the senior girls’ combs and cosmetics to the countertops! She survived, however, and went on to graduate from All Saints.

From there Joanne continued her education at the University of South Dakota for one year. Although she had fun there, she returned to Chicago and soon moved to Grand Rapids and took a job as a telephone operator. Joanne became skilled in listening to the change being dropped into the phone to know if they actually had enough money to make a call. She spent a total of two years working as an operator.

It was while working as an operator that Joanne met the man who would change the course of her life forever. His name was Richard Pierce, and they were smitten with one another right from the start. After dating for a time the couple found themselves deeply in love. With a desire to spend the rest of their lives together Joanne and Richard were married on January 28, 1955, during a raging blizzard. She always said that there was a blizzard on both her anniversary and her birthday every year, and she was usually right.

Together Joanne and Richard were blessed with the births of three children, Cindy, Rick, and Chris. She was truly devoted to caring for her family, and she was meticulous when it came to feeding them. Joanne saw to it that their meals were healthy, and they usually consisted of fruits and vegetables that either came from their own garden or from other area farms. The boys were in charge of helping Richard on the farm while Joanne and Cindy did loads of canning. In fact, her rule was that if you were the one to take something out of the garden, you were the one who had to take care of it within 24 hours. Through the years there were numerous late nights of canning. Joanne’s skills in the kitchen were fantastic, and nearly everything she knew was taught to her by Richard’s mother, Margarite. It has been said that she was the second best at making fried chicken, second only to Richard’s mother, of course.

There were countless experiences that enriched Joanne’s life. She enjoyed dancing during her younger years and liked relaxing while watching television, playing cards and reading. She used to make a killer fruitcake. Joanne’s favorite place to be was anywhere with Richard no matter what they were doing. They purchased a motorhome and traveled for awhile, but Joanne always looked forward to coming home as it was truly her haven. Trips in the motorhome with her grandchildren were among some of Joanne’s most memorable times including trips to Sea World and Cedar Point in Ohio. She was overjoyed to become a grandmother to her five grandchildren, Jodi, Richard III, Michael, Leslie, and Amanda.

Outspoken, fun-loving, and selfless are just a few of the words that describe the extraordinary woman that Joanne Pierce was. She always had a meal for any visitor who stopped by or people who worked on the farm, too. Joanne collected angels and enjoyed doing some traveling, but her heart was truly content when she was surrounded by her loved ones. Incredibly beautiful on the inside and out, she will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

Joanne B. Pierce, of Martin, died on Friday, February 28, 2014. Joanne’s family includes her three children: Cindy Dian, of Kalamazoo; Rick Pierce II, of Martin; Chris (Amy) Pierce, of MO; five grandchildren: Jodi Williams, of Kalamazoo; Richard Pierce III, of Martin; Michael Pierce, Paw Paw; Leslie Pierce, of MO; Amanda Pierce, of MO; four great grandchildren: Jalen Hooper, Deborah Williams, Damont Williams, Joshua McCree, all of Kalamazoo. Joanne was preceded in death by her husband Richard Pierce. The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 4-7 p.m., Life Story Funeral Home, 120 South Woodhams, Plainwell (269-685-5881). The funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the same location. Burial at South Martin Cemetery. Please visit Joanne’s webpage at www.lifestorynet.com where you can sign her guestbook or share a memory and/or photo. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and/or Wings of Hope Hospice.