Frances Beverly Piper 1928 - 2007

PIPER, WOOD

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/16/2015 at 09:17:41

Sioux City Journal
29 December 2007

Frances Beverly Piper of East Lancing, Mich., formerly of Sioux City, died Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2007, at her residence.

Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Peoples Church in East Lancing, with the Rev. Dr. Harry H. Johnson officiating. Visitation with the family will be 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Gorsline-Runciman Funeral Home in East Lancing.

Frances Beverly "Fran" Piper was born Dec. 9, 1928, in Sioux City, to Sarah and Charles Wood. She lived in Iowa in her early years. She graduated from Sioux City Central High School in 1947.

Except for a short stay in Canton, S.D., she and her husband, Wally (her high school sweetheart), called Sioux City home until 1972. The center of her life was her husband and her beautiful daughters, Jodi, Joni and Jan. Wally was a teacher and coach at Central High School and she was very active in many faculty wives events. She also enjoyed dressing up her three daughters as cheerleaders for many of his games. In 1972, the family relocated to East Lansing so Wally could pursue his Ph.D. at Michigan State University (MSU). She became an avid MSU fan and loyal supporter.

Once in Michigan, she began her working career, first for The People Church in Christian Education and then at MSU in the Department of Parks and Recreation and later in the Department of Surgery. When Wally (then the executive director of Michigan School Business Officials) was looking for a new executive secretary, she was hired and worked in that position until her retirement in 1997.

The couple were blessed with eight beautiful grandchildren. They had become the center of her life and she enjoyed watching whatever event they happened to be participating in. If she couldn't make it in person, she expected multiple phone calls with detailed reports on just exactly how her grandkids were doing.

She is survived by her daughters, Jodi (Jim) Piper-Bappert, Joni (Bob) Reinhart and Jan (Sam) Tucker; grandchildren, John Wallace "Jace", James Piper "P.J.", Joseph Francis "Joey" Bappert, Kristin and Kori Reinhart and Sami, Tyler and Piper Tucker; and sisters, Dorothy (Al) McDonough of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Barbara (Bill) Mercer of Littleton, Colo.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Wally; and brothers, Robert Arthur (Thelma), Paul Henry and William Charles (Ann).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to Visiting Nurse Services of Michigan Hospice, 825 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, MI 48912, American Lung Association, 403 Seymour Ave., Lansing, MI 48933-1179 or East Lansing Athletic Booster Club, 841 Timber Lane, East Lansing, MI 48823.