Faye I. Gifford Pierce 1914 - 2009

RICHARDSON, PIERCE, CUMMINGS, GIFFORD, COONEY, MAHLER, MOEN, WESSELIUS, FERGUSON

Posted By: Nancy (email)
Date: 8/23/2009 at 19:21:25

Faye I. Gifford Pierce, 95, of Alpha, Iowa, died Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009, at Vinton Lutheran Home following a brief illness.

Memorial services were held Saturday, Aug. 22, at Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home in Vinton with the Rev. David Vannetten officiating. Private inurnment will take place in the Alpha Cemetery at a later date.

Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home of Vinton assisted with arrangements.

Faye Iola (Richardson) Gifford Pierce was born March 14, 1914, in Alpha. She was the daughter of William and Nina (Cummings) Richardson.

Faye was raised in Alpha and lived there until two and a half years ago, when she moved to her daughter Barbara's home in Waterloo.

After graduating from high school in Alpha, Faye earned her two-year teaching degree at Iowa Normal, which is now the University of Northern Iowa.

She taught country school near Alpha for two years and was the postmistress in Alpha for 30 years.

On Sept. 15, 1935, Faye was united in marriage with Kenneth Gifford in Washington state. He preceded her in death on May 18, 1968. She married Harold "Toby" Pierce on Feb. 12, 1975, on Padre Island in Texas. He preceded her in death in May 2002.

Faye was a member of Alpha Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday school for many years and was a member of the Alpha Church Adult Group and Booster Club.

She was also a member of the League of Postmasters.

In addition to her husbands, Faye was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Jim Richardson; and two sisters, Alice Cooney and Ruvie Mahler.

Survivors include two daughters, Barbara Gifford of Waterloo and Becky (Bob) Moen of Vinton; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Florence Wesselius of Kenosha, Wis., and Ferne Ferguson of Bloomington, Ill.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Alpha Cemetery.

Fayette County Union, 19 August 2009