Obituary for Barbara Pierce
Barbara June Pierce passed away February 26, 2022, peacefully with family by her side in Tonganoxie, Kansas. She is survived by her children; daughter Kathleen Gail Martin (Kathy) and her significant other Craig Rodgers of Shawnee, Kansas, son Randall Eugene Martin (Randy) of Eldon Missouri, daughter Ronda Claire Ward (Ronni) and her husband Theodore Eugene Ward (Ted) of Tonganoxie, Kansas, son Ronald Claire Pierce Jr. (R.J.) and his significant other Sandra Cowherd and her children Cole and Spencer of Camdenton, Missouri; brother Roger A. Marchand and his wife Virginia Marchand and their children Christopher and Brandon (Jay) of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Grandchildren Steven Carter, Carrie Martin, Saben Jessica Ward; Great grandchildren Madison Carter, Cassandra Donlay, Mariah Baker, Abigail Robertson, Emily Robertson, and Great-great child Lilliana Merriman.
She is preceded in death by her parents, George Earl Marchand, Dorothy Marchand, husband Ronald Claire Pierce, and brother Frederick Marchand.
Barbara was chosen and adopted by a loving Christian family at just 2 weeks old and was raised in McPherson, Kansas. She graduated from McPherson High School and attended McPherson College. Barb was loved by everyone who had the pleasure to have known her and is remembered for her rare beauty and selfless heart. Barb had a lifelong love of music and studied it from the time she was young, singing for her high school band and even at her graduation. She was also a faithful follower of Christ from her youth, teaching bible school and singing with her church choir in her teens and throughout her adulthood.
Barbara married Ronald Pierce on November 13th, 1959. As an adult she directed the youth and children’s choirs, led worship for the congregation, and held many church offices. She and Ron had their own successful heating and cooling business, winning many trips and traveling around the world. She was very active in the school and the community, serving as PTA President, room mother, teacher’s helper, substitute teacher, Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader, chairman of the Turner neighborhood group, and was on the neighborhood patrol group. Barb also enjoyed being a youth friend at Turner schools. She worked with Turner Days and has her name on the Turner Walk of Fame as well as having been Grand Marshall of the Turner Days Parade.
Barbara had a special love for children and took care of many from a young age. She not only raised four of her own but along with her husband Ron, welcomed any and all into their home for a swim in their pool or when they needed a caregiver or just a place to stay. She so enjoyed being a mother, and when her children were grown, she started a daycare in her home. It began with her grandchildren and neighborhood kids, and then the word got out. Barbara influenced the lives of many children who are now grown. She loved to follow their lives on Facebook having over 20 of them as friends and always had a word of encouragement to offer. When her husband, Ron became ill, they moved to the country to live with their daughter, son in law and great grandchildren in Tonganoxie, Kansas. Barb lived out her days enjoying spending time with her great-grandchildren, cooking, baking, bird watching, reading, listening to music, and watching her favorite comedy and music shows.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to noon, Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the R.L. Leintz Funeral Home. A funeral service will begin at noon at the funeral home, followed by burial at Chapel Hill Cemetery. An obituary will follow.
She is preceded in death by her parents, George Earl Marchand, Dorothy Marchand, husband Ronald Claire Pierce, and brother Frederick Marchand.
Barbara was chosen and adopted by a loving Christian family at just 2 weeks old and was raised in McPherson, Kansas. She graduated from McPherson High School and attended McPherson College. Barb was loved by everyone who had the pleasure to have known her and is remembered for her rare beauty and selfless heart. Barb had a lifelong love of music and studied it from the time she was young, singing for her high school band and even at her graduation. She was also a faithful follower of Christ from her youth, teaching bible school and singing with her church choir in her teens and throughout her adulthood.
Barbara married Ronald Pierce on November 13th, 1959. As an adult she directed the youth and children’s choirs, led worship for the congregation, and held many church offices. She and Ron had their own successful heating and cooling business, winning many trips and traveling around the world. She was very active in the school and the community, serving as PTA President, room mother, teacher’s helper, substitute teacher, Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader, chairman of the Turner neighborhood group, and was on the neighborhood patrol group. Barb also enjoyed being a youth friend at Turner schools. She worked with Turner Days and has her name on the Turner Walk of Fame as well as having been Grand Marshall of the Turner Days Parade.
Barbara had a special love for children and took care of many from a young age. She not only raised four of her own but along with her husband Ron, welcomed any and all into their home for a swim in their pool or when they needed a caregiver or just a place to stay. She so enjoyed being a mother, and when her children were grown, she started a daycare in her home. It began with her grandchildren and neighborhood kids, and then the word got out. Barbara influenced the lives of many children who are now grown. She loved to follow their lives on Facebook having over 20 of them as friends and always had a word of encouragement to offer. When her husband, Ron became ill, they moved to the country to live with their daughter, son in law and great grandchildren in Tonganoxie, Kansas. Barb lived out her days enjoying spending time with her great-grandchildren, cooking, baking, bird watching, reading, listening to music, and watching her favorite comedy and music shows.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to noon, Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the R.L. Leintz Funeral Home. A funeral service will begin at noon at the funeral home, followed by burial at Chapel Hill Cemetery. An obituary will follow.