Mary L. Kunze (1915-2000)

KUNZE

Posted By: Patrick Turner (email)
Date: 2/25/2003 at 22:12:02

Thursday, December 7, 2000

In Memory: Mary L. Kunze

Mary Louise Pierce Kunze, 85, died Sunday, December 3, 2000 at Oakland Heights in Oakland, Iowa.

Mary was born October 13, 1915 in Swink, Colorado, the daughter of Arthur W. Pierce and Sarah Ireland Pierce. She attended country school in Washington Township and graduated in 1933 from Oakland High School. She attended Cedar Falls Teachers College in 1935. She earned Bachelors of Arts Degree in Elementary Education and Library Science from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1973. She married Clarence H. Kunze on May 16, 1942 at the Sharon Church and to this union were born two children: Carole and Douglas.

Mary taught school in Washington Township, Glenwood, Underwood, Carson and Macedonia. The majority of her teaching career was spent in Oakland where she retired in 1989 after 30 years of service.

Mary was a member of the Oakland United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Women's Federated Club, Merry Makers Club, and Treynor Statesmen Club.

Mary had many interests and hobbies. She loved to travel with her friends. She was very interested in children and their education. She liked reading, spending time with her family, reminiscing, gardening, going to church suppers, cooking and playing cards. She attended her children, grandchildren and even her great grandchildren's events. She was very proud of her immediate and extended families' accomplishments.

Her parents, her husband and sisters, Edna Pierce and Helen Underwood and one infant brother, Clifford, preceded her in death.

Her two children survive Mary: Carole M. Bane and husband, Robert of Oakland and Douglas P. Kunze and wife, Glenda of Persia; 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Also surviving are brothers and sisters, Fred Pierce and wife, Esther, Mildred Beatty and husband, Bill, all of Atlantic, Ralph Pierce and wife, Junellyn and Robert Pierce, all of Oakland.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, December 6 at the Oakland United Methodist Church. Visitation was Tuesday evening at the Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland. Burial was in the Oaklawn Cemetery in Oakland.