Della Pierce
June 03, 2010
Della M. Pierce, 102, passed away peacefully on June 3, 2010 at Valley View Village.
Della was born April 16, 1908 in a farmhouse in Story County, IA to Bessie and Boston Briley. She grew up on a farm near Alleman, IA. Della married Dean A. Pierce on August 24, 1936 in Colorado Springs, CO. They made their home in Des Moines, IA.
She was a long time member of Highland Park Presbyterian Church. Della loved to bowl and play golf on her Wednesday "play day." She bowled well into her 90’s. She golfed in the Wednesday morning Woodland Hills Women’s League 44 years, until age 97.
Della is survived by her daughters, Beverly Mardis and Jean Chance; grandchildren, Jeff (Amy) Chance, Mark Chance, Angela (Doug) Lee, Becky (Tom) Tuttle, Brad (Dawn) Mardis, Brent (Laurie) Mardis, Bill Mardis; great-grandchildren, James and Jason Chance, Kyle, Adam, Dakota and Austin Lee, Madison and Noah Tuttle, Tyler and Nicholas Mardis, Benjamin and Katelyn Mardis; great-great-granddaughter, Charlotte Chance; brother, Dean Briley of Boone; sisters-in-law, Margaret Briley, Bonnie Hulse and Shirley Pierce; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dean; five brothers, and one sister.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m., Monday, June 7, 2010 at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Avenue, Des Moines, with burial to follow at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery. A visitation will be held Sunday, June 6, 2010 from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
Marty Ohrt, Willa Ware's Arizona daughter
06/05/2010
I am so sorry to hear about your mother.
When I would come to Des Moines and visit mom it was always a joy to sit at the table mom and your mother sat at and visit. She was an amazing women and my mom dearly loved her as did my dad and sister and I.
When my mom was in her final stages, Della would come into her room and visit several times a day. And the night of the worst snowstorm, Della thru a fit and make the Valley View driver take her as well as other VW residents to the visitation at Hamiltons! What a lady!!
I will miss her happy face and spunk when I visit.
Thank you for sharing your mother with us.
Marty
Janis Ware
06/03/2010
I am the daughter of Willa Ware, one of Della's former table partners at Valley View. I was just in to see Della last week and took some flowers to her from my yard. She remembered who I was, and we had a short but nice visit.
Please accept my sympathy for your loss. I just loved Della, and I know my mom and dad did, too. When my mom died in February, Della insisted on coming to the visitation (on a very snowy night). Valley View ended up bringing a busload over thanks to Lonny being willing to take on that trip. I will never forget the sight of the Valley View friends coming in to the visitation. It meant so much, and it was all thanks to Della's strong will (and Shannon's). I remember how my heart broke for Della as she stated, "I feel like I've lost my best friend." She and my mom had lots of good meals together (And probably some not so good ones!). My dad would bring her grapes. We will miss her. She seemed like she might live forever.
God bless Della and all of you. I feel blessed to have known her. She always made me smile.
Sincerely,
Janis Ware