Mary Pierce

Mary Frances Mawyer Pierce

After 92 years of serving the Lord and loving her family, Mary Frances Mawyer Pierce passed away peacefully at home on June 16, 2021, surrounded by loved ones.

Mary is enjoying a heavenly reunion with her parents, Margaret Marie Santrock Mawyer Toney and Cecil Edward Toney; her husband, George Lykens Pierce; her grandson, George Lykens Pierce III; and many other members of her family. She is survived by two children, Kathryn (Ron) Vanover and George (Jane) Pierce II; a sister, Betty Mawyer Allen; three grandchildren, Kimberly (Devlin) Riley, Jeffrey Vanover, and Amy (Michael) Giachetti; seven great grandchildren, Brynne, McKenna, Nolan, and Aidan Riley; Kira Pierce; Naomi Vanover; and Sydney Giachetti; and other beloved family, including Ron (Lisa) Allen, Patricia (Homer) Alderman, Dana Cole, James (Sheri) Pierce, Tim (Nancy) Pierce, Trina (Steve) Griffin, and their children and grandchildren.

Mary was born in Morrisvale, West Virginia on May 31, 1929. She grew up in the Slab Fork Coal Camp, living in a small house she shared with her mother, father, aunt, and sister—and, at a later time, two cousins as well. She would later relay that she never knew how poor her family had been because no one ever complained, and most people she knew had as little as she did. Well into her eighties, whenever she would enjoy something particularly extravagant, she would reply, “Lausey bee—I’m just a girl from Slab Fork.”

Mary graduated from Sophia High School at age 16, and married George Pierce in 1949. They welcomed their first child, Kathryn, a day before their first anniversary, and their second, George II, one year later.

After she finished high school, Mary moved to Charleston to study nursing at McMillian Hospital and Morris Harvey College in Charleston, WV. However, she returned home before finishing her degree because became homesick. She went back to school to become a Licensed Practical Nurse at Raleigh County Vocational School in 1964. She worked for Dr. Clyde A. Smith for over a decade until he passed away. Thereafter, she worked at Beckley Hospital, but she had never given up on her dream of becoming a Registered Nurse. In 1982—not long after Bluefield State College began allowing married women to enroll in nursing courses—she went back to school to complete her degree at 54 years old, graduating at the top of her class. She continued to work at Beckley Hospital, going on to become a nursing supervisor and trainer, until her retirement.

Mary was an active member of the Memorial Baptist Church in Beckley from 1950 until her health required her to move to Cincinnati to live with her daughter in 2013. At Memorial Baptist, Mary directed Vacation Bible School, sang in the Sanctuary Choir, and served on the Visitation Team, in the Lydia Ormandy Women’s Circle, and as the Sunday School Class President. One of her favorite activities each year was singing in Memorial Baptist’s Living Christmas Tree.

Mary’s faith was a constant in her life; when Alzheimer’s robbed her of many of her memories, her ability to sing her favorite hymns never wavered. At times she often struggled to articulate herself, she could still lead prayers with complete clarity. One of her proudest recent moments was when her dear friend, Pastor John Lowe, declared September 9, 2018, “Mary Pierce Day,” at the Tuckaleechee Chapel Missionary Baptist Church.

Mary loved playing cards, watching musicals, collecting sea shells on the beach, and keeping a house that would pass the white glove test. She was always perfectly coiffed and dressed to the nines, displaying a serious and reserved exterior that made it even more enjoyable for those who had access to her great sense of humor. She took annual trips to Myrtle Beach and The Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove. She wasn’t able to dance in recent years, but her toes would begin to tap whenever she heard her favorite music. Her family still has fond memories of watching her and her sister, Betty, hear one of their favorite Big Band tunes, and spontaneously execute a flawless jitterbug they hadn’t practiced together for decades. She is undoubtedly cutting a rug in Heaven today. Pallbearers include  Chris Allen, Stanley Clark, Steve Griffith, Thomas Maxwell, Tim Pierce and Larry Wood.

Family will be hosting a visitation at Melton Mortuary in Beckley, WV, between 6-8 pm on Sunday June 20, 2021. A Celebration Service will follow at Memorial Baptist Church at 1 pm on Monday, June 21, 2021. Mary will be laid to rest next to her husband of 44 years at Sunset Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Memorial Baptist Church in Beckley, 1405 S. Kanawha St., Beckley, WV 25801, https://onrealm.org/mbcbeckley/-/give/now.

Melton Mortuary and Cremation Center has been entrusted with the arrangements and is honored to serve the family.

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