Jeanette Pierce

Funeral services for Jeanette Pierce of Wadena were held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 at the United Methodist Church in Wadena with Pastor Shirley Nelson and Pastor John Fair presiding. Jeanette died peacefully at home on September 22, 2012, surrounded by family. Jeanette was born on a farm outside Cokato, MN, on March 20, 1937, to Swedish immigrantsThorsten and Ellen Benson. A short time later the family moved to south Minneapolis, whereJeanette spent her formative years. Eventually the family moved to the country, to what is now Maple Grove. She attended Osseo High School, graduating with honors in 1955. Her classmates voted for her as “having the best personality”. She studied at the University of Minnesota for a couple of years, where she met her future husband, Toby Pierce from Wadena. They were married February 1, 1957. They spent two years in Virginia, where Toby was stationed in the Army. They settled in Wadena and together founded Toby Pierce and Associates in 1959. Jeanette was an active member of the Wadena United Methodist Church, serving five annual termsas United Methodist Women’s president. She was a 38-year member and past president of PEO Sisterhood. She was a sister in the Gamma Omicron Beta Sorority. She was always there to help out, be it as a Cub Scout den mother, a long-time Girl Scout leader or a volunteer delivering Meals-on-Wheels. She enjoyed working at the City Library for many years. She loved socializing with friends, and especially loved Bridge Club. She was an excellent cook and a fine seamstress. She was proud of her Swedish heritage, and was delighted when in the 1970’s she was able to take a trip to Sweden with her mother. Through the years she kept in touch with friends from her days in Minneapolis and at Osseo High. She cherished all of them and her many wonderful friends from the Wadena area. Jeanette was a beautiful, gentle and loving soul who touched many with her kind heart. Her sense of humor will be missed by all who knew her. She truly believed there was good in everyone, and said it often. She was humble to the core. Jeanette cared deeply for her children and grandchildren and will be dearly missed by all of them. She is survived by her devoted husband of 55 years, Toby; brother Kenneth (Pat) Benson; children Lynn (Bernie Frey), Mark (Vicki), Beth (Randy) Curtis, Eric (Nancy) and Erin; grandchildren Ryan Pierce, Tara (John) St. Martin, Colton Borg, Kelsie Pierce, Hannah and Cameron Frey, Myles and Toby Curtis, and Jessica, Lance and Lexi Pierce; and great-granddaughter Audrey St. Martin. She was preceded in death by her parents; and nephews Douglas Benson and Jon Benson. Honorary pallbearers were Jeanette’s PEO sisters, Bridge Club and the Wadena UMC Cut-ups. Pallbearers were Ryan Pierce, Colton Borg, Myles Curtis, Toby Curtis, Cameron Frey and Kelsie Pierce. A private family interment will be in the Wadena Cemetery in Wadena at a later date. Her family was very proud of how she lived her last few years despite struggling with Parkinson’s disease, and the family prefers memorials to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Jeanette Pierce

March 20, 1937 - September 22, 2012