George Washington Pierce (2012)

PIERCE, WARNER, JOHNSON

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 2/2/2012 at 22:39:54

Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
February 2, 2012

George Washington Pierce (1931 - 2012)
George W. Pierce, Des Moines

George W. Pierce died Monday, January 30, 2012. He was born to Laverne G. and Rose M. (Warner) Pierce on February 22, 1931 in Des Moines, Iowa. George served his country in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953 in Korea.

George was a tool and die maker and worked for Western Tool, AMF, Western International, and retired from Herschel in Indianola.

George was a very active member of Izaak Walton in Des Moines and volunteered for many events including Izaak Walton Special Needs Fishing and the HyVee Fishing Derby. He enjoyed gardening, loved fishing, hunting, being outdoors and a part of nature.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 55 years, Joann; his children, Craig (Geri), Kurt (Roxanne), Kevin (JoAnn), and Carla (Robb); grandchildren, Candace and Chelsea Pierce, Brittni, Brooke and Luke Pierce, and Brandon and Jordan Johnson; and many relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Laverne; sister, Maxine; and his best friends, Jack Daily and Dick McNeley.

Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, February 3, 2012 at Hamilton's Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street. Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church, 3010 52nd Street, on the corner of 52nd and Urbandale. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Izaak Walton League or the American Cancer Society.
___________
Winterset Madisonian, Winterset, Iowa
February 1, 2012

TWO PERISH IN ICE FISHING INCIDENT

A rural Madison County woman and a family friend from Polk County apparently fell through thin ice while ice fishing on the family pond Monday and drowned. 

Authorities say 80-year-old George Washington Pierce and 64-year-old Linda Lou Jones were ice fishing on the Joneses’ rural Prole farm north of Bevington Monday.
 
The couple was fishing just off shore in about eight feet of water.
 
Authorities say Pierce last talked to a family member shortly after 1 p.m. Monday.
 
When Larry Jones got home later that afternoon, he realized his wife was not home. He started checking and noticed a hole in the ice. He called another friend, who subsequently summoned authorities to the scene shortly after 6:30 p.m.

The incident happened on a farm pond in Section 17 of Crawford Township just off 183rd Lane.

What was hoped to be a rescue effort quickly turned into a recovery effort. Authorities were able to recover both bodies.

Officials say the circumstances surrounding the incident are unclear and it's unknown whether one or both initially went through the ice, and into the icy water.