Obituary of Betty Pierce

Betty Pierce died at the age of 104 on September 18, 2014 at the Daughters of Sarah Nursing Center. The day before she died, she was enjoying sitting outside in the sun and joking with her son and daughter-in-law using a whiteboard. She was predeceased by her husband Benjamin, and by all of her brothers and sisters: Harry, Ben, Abe, Anna, Lillian and Millie. She is survived by her son, Ronald and his wife Eva of Hilo, Hawaii; her grandson Joshua, his wife Tracy, and their son Noah, of Hilo, Hawaii; and her grandson David, his wife Saji, and their children Benjamin and Cecelia, of Pleasanton, California. Betty led a long, healthy life. Asked for the secret of her longevity, she replied moderation and not dwelling on adversities and losses. Throughout her life, she stepped up to the plate whenever she was needed by family or friends. and by Hadassah in Florida. She greatly enjoyed a 30-year retirement there, making two best friends and referred to themselves as The Golden Girls. Until the day she died, she retained her sense of humor and interest in the world and, of course, her family. She accepted life's transitions with grace. She worked as a bookkeeper long before it was common for women to work outside the home, but her favorite and last job was as a stenographer with the NYC Department of Social Services in Brooklyn. Her family would like to thank the Daughters of Sarah where she spent eleven years, first at the Massry Residence and then at the nursing home. Special thanks to her sweetheart Roz, and to Sandy. We would also like to thank her many aides and other staff who cared for, and about, Betty. Ron and Eva will gather their friends for a celebration of Betty's life when they return to Albany.