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Nellie Pierson

October 12, 1952 - August 23, 2014
Vicksburg, MI

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Visitation

Thursday, August 28, 2014
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM EDT
Vicksburg United Methodist Church
217 S. Main Street
Vicksburg, MI 49097

Service

Thursday, August 28, 2014
1:00 PM EDT
Vicksburg United Methodist Church
217 S. Main Street
Vicksburg, MI 49097

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Vicksburg United Methodist Church
217 South Main Street
Vicksburg, MI 49097
(269) 649-2343
Driving Directions
Web Site

Vicksburg Lion's Club

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

Heirloom Rose
407 S. Grand St.
Schoolcraft, MI 49087
(269) 679-3010
Driving Directions
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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When reflecting on the life of Nellie Pierson, words such as gentle, gracious, and genuine come to mind, however, it was her unending acts of service that will be her lasting legacy. Guided by an unwavering faith, her life exemplified what it means to be the hands and feet of the Lord she loved. As mothers go, Nellie’s children would say they had the very best, and although she cherished this role she just may have argued that becoming a grandmother was her greatest reward. Her life reminds us that happiness is not found in what we have, rather, it is in giving to those around us that we are richly blessed. Although her family and friends are still trying to comprehend that Nellie’s journey has come to an end, they find comfort in knowing that death has no sting for those who believe. There will certainly be a glorious reunion one day.

It seems only fitting that Nellie’s story began during a time that was as vibrant as she was. It was the 1950s when Elvis was “the king,” rock ‘n roll transformed the music world, and blue jeans became a staple in our wardrobe. The fabric of our nation was colored when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on an Alabama bus and Alaska and Hawaii became official states, completing our flag. It was in 1952 that Richard and Alice (Buckallew) Dibble were blessed with the birth of their baby girl on October 12th in Vicksburg, Michigan. Nellie Jean was the oldest child in her family and was raised in the family home alongside her sister, Lisa, and her brothers, Timothy, and Todd. She was a typical girl of her generation and was active in baton.

As a student Nellie attended local schools, and it was there that she met the young man of her dreams. His name was Brian Pierson, and they began dating as high school students. Their love deepened over time, and they graduated as high school sweethearts. With a desire to establish a life together, Nellie and Brian were married on May 8, 1971, not long after graduating.

Now a young husband, Brian joined the Army, which sent the couple off on a global adventure that took them to Germany. It was there that they welcomed two daughters, Gwen and Jennifer, into their hearts and home. The young family moved around from country to country over the years, and when the girls were little Nellie served as their Girl Scout leader.

It has been said that baking was in Nellie’s blood. She lived to spend hours getting ready for bake sales as she always provided a ton of treats. Nellie made the most gorgeous wedding cakes, and she was also known for her creative birthday cakes. While living in Arizona, Nellie decorated her kitchen by hanging her cake pans on the walls, and it was such a treat for the neighborhood kids when they could come over to pick which character shaped pan they wanted their birthday cake to be. She even collected cake pans and had an impressive collection of nearly one hundred!

After Brian retired from the Army, the family settled back into their old hometown of Vicksburg. Returning to small town life without missing a beat, Nellie took a job in customer service at Kalamazoo County State Bank. She remained there for several years and had just recently received her paperwork to apply for retirement. Nellie was looking forward to spending much of her retirement years traveling extensively throughout the country in their 5th wheel with Brian.

Nellie was filled with unspeakable joy to become a grandma to Zane and Deven. It was easy to see that they were her pride and joy, and she was known to give them whatever they wanted as often as she could. The special times that Nellie shared with her grandchildren were many including having lunch together and taking them on fun-filled camping trips with both grandma and grandpa.

A longtime resident of the community she loved, Nellie was involved throughout Vicksburg in several ways. She was an active member of Vicksburg United Methodist Church where she was part of the Pricilla Circle and served on numerous committees. Currently, she had been serving as the assistant treasurer on the church board. Nellie was also a member of the Vicksburg Lion’s Club where she currently was the treasurer as well. Although she enjoyed being home, Nellie and Brian loved camping. Their favorite spot was up at Houghton Lake.

All who knew Nellie Pierson would agree that she was the sweetest person around. She was always generous to the point of going out of her way for others in ways both great and small. Nellie was independent and hardworking, a true leader who could accomplish whatever she set her mind to. She wholeheartedly applied herself to everything she did whether she was caring for her family, working outside of the home, or volunteering within her community in some way. Nellie’s love for her family was unmatched, and her children and grandchildren were her greatest source of pride and joy. She will be deeply missed while her timeless legacy that is deeply rooted in compassion, grace, and unconditional love is carried on by those who follow in her footsteps.

Nellie J. Pierson, of Vicksburg, died on August 23, 2014. Nellie’s family includes her husband, Brian Pierson; daughters, Gwen (Shawn) Breece and Jennifer Pierson; grandsons, Zane & Deven Breece; mother, Alice Dibble; brothers, Timothy (Fiona) Dibble and Todd (Nancy Archer) Dibble as well as many other relatives. Nellie was preceded in death by her father, Richard Dibble; sister, Lisa Dibble; and her brother, Mark Dibble. Visit with her family on Thursday, August 28th from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Vicksburg United Methodist Church; 217 S. Main Street where a funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. Visit Nellie’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a photo and sign her guest book. Memorial donations may be made to the Vicksburg United Methodist Church or Vicksburg Lion’s Club. Arrangements were handled by Life Story Funeral Homes, Vicksburg; 409 S. Main Street (649-1697).

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