Obituary of Elizabeth Peirce (2023)

• Title	Obituary of Elizabeth Peirce (2023)
  Short Title	Obituary of Elizabeth Peirce
  Publisher	Athol, Massachusetts: The Athol Daily News, 10 July 2023
  Source ID	S1715
  Text	ORANGE, MA - Elizabeth Lorraine (Ballou) Peirce, known to most everyone as "Zib," passed away on July 6th, 2023 while bravely battling old age. She was born on April 18, 1924, in Orange, MA, to parents Cecil and Mary (Richards) Ballou. She leaves behind her brother Richard Ballou, daughter Jane Peirce, son Peter Peirce, grandsons Michael Peirce and Ruslan Peirce, son-in-law Keith LaRiviere, daughter-in-law Jill Esterson, and a freezer containing a dozen pints of Häagen-Dazs Dulce De Leche ice cream which she absolutely had planned to finish. She is preceded in death by her husband Clifton Waldo Peirce (d. 1992,) sister Betty-Sue (Ballou) Pratt (d. 2018,) and brother Derrill Henry Ballou, (d. 2021.) Zib grew up in Orange, meeting her future husband Cliff in Leavitt's store, Orange, where both were employed while attending Orange High School. She attended North Adams Teachers College, and after graduation began her teaching career at Feeding Hills School in Springfield, MA. Zib and Cliff were married in 1947 after Cliff returned from WW2, and they started their family in 1952. Soon after, they began construction on a house barely a mile from the house where she was born, where they lived happily from that time on. In 1959 she and Cliff purchased a brand new VW Bug, and at the age of 35, Zib learned how to drive. In the early 60's, inspired by Lyndon Johnson's war on poverty, she founded the Head Start Kindergarten Program in Orange, with the Congregational church providing the classroom. She taught kindergarten at Dexter Park School in Orange from the mid 60's until she retired in 1987, able to recall every student she ever taught. She kept every class picture in a notebook, and followed her students progress into adulthood, saving clippings about them whenever they appeared in the news. Zib loved animals, and no stray animal that came to her door was turned away on an empty stomach. Civilizing cats, dogs, horses, donkeys, goats, rabbits, squirrels, skunks, foxes, and ill-behaved children was her special talent. She also tried to bend adults to her will, serving on committees for the town of Orange, local schools, Congregational Church, and Lake Mattawa Association, among many others. She knitted, quilted, collected dolls, enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, rode a bicycle, enjoyed the outdoors, was quick to help or offer support for any worthy project, and was particularly thrilled to be a grandmother. Active in the preservation of Quabbin town history since the 1960's, she served as volunteer, president, and/or curator at the Swift River Valley Historical Society well into her 90's, authoring several books on Quabbin history, including The Lost Towns of Quabbin Valley (2003,) Quabbin Valley: Life as It Was (2015,) and Quabbin Valley: People and Places (2006.) She was meticulous, sharp as a tack, had an encyclopedic knowledge of everything that happened in the last 200 years, a dry sense of humor, a deep appreciation for friends, family, animals, one particular flavor of ice cream, and enjoyed a good, long, life. She was one of a kind and to be loved by her was to be truly blessed. Calling hours are Friday, July 14th from 5-7 p.m. at Witty's Funeral Home, 158 S. Main St., Orange, MA. The funeral will be held in the Central Congregational Church, 93 South Main Street in Orange, on Saturday July 15 at 10am. Following interment at South Central Cemetery, refreshments will be served at the Congregational Church. Please consider wearing a mask, and stay healthy. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Swift River Valley Historical Society, PO Box 22, New Salem, MA 01355, or to the animal welfare organization of your choice. Witty's Funeral Home, 158 South Main Street, Orange, is assisting the family.
  Linked to (1)	Elizabeth Loraine Ballou