Pierson, Lucille Blaas 1921-2017

PIERSON, BLAAS, ZINNEL

Posted By: Mary Holub (email)
Date: 6/29/2017 at 14:44:10

From: Le Mars Daily Sentinel, April 7, 2017

Lucille Pierson, 95, of Le Mars died Wednesday, April 5, 2017, at Plymouth Manor Care Center in Le Mars.

Lucille was born Oct. 28, 1921 in Rockwell City, the daughter of Emil and Alma (Zinnel) Blaas.

She was baptized, confirmed, and married by Pastor W.C.H. Schaefer at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rockwell City. She also attended parochial school at Immanuel. She attended high school in Somers and Rockwell City. She graduated from Westmar College in Le Mars and the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota.

On Aug. 9, 1947, she was united in marriage to Arlie Pierson. The couple lived in Ames and Greenfield, Iowa, before moving to Le Mars. Arlie died Aug. 20, 2015.

Lucille taught school in Calhoun County, Iowa and Remsen and was also a tour escort for many years and traveled extensively in the United States and other countries.

She also worked in Washington, D.C., Holden Village in Washington state and Santa Barbara, California. She also spent several months teaching the children of missionaries in Liberia and worked with missionaries in Ecuador.

She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Le Mars where she served in the church women’s group and taught Sunday school and vacation Bible school for a number of years.

Survivors include her daughter: Colette Keelan and her husband, Malley of Lincoln, Nebraska; her son: Bruce Pierson and his wife, Chikako of Cincinnati, Ohio; three grandchildren: Sean Michael Keelan of Lawrence, Kansas, Maggie Keelan and her husband, Timothy Gault near Seattle, Washington, and Austin Pierson of Cincinnati, Ohio; two great-grandchildren: Gavin and Will Gault; a sister: Vera Mae Fencil and her husband, Jim of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania; and numerous nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Arlie; and one brother and sister in law.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Monday, at Grace Lutheran Church, L.C.M.S. in Le Mars. The Rev. Tim Geitz will officiate. Burial will be at Rosehill Cemetery in Rockwell City. Visitation with the family present will be from 5-7 p.m., Sunday, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., all at Rexwinkel-Carlsen Funeral Home in Le Mars. Visitation will resume from 10 a.m. until service time on Monday at the church.

Memorials can be made in Lucille’s name to the Orphan Grain Train, P.O. Box 1466, Norfolk, Nebraska, 68702-1466.