Lela Mae Pierce

A"MAE"ZING! THAT'S OUR MOM!

Lela Mae (Smith+Mahoney) Pierce has always been a get 'er done firecracker.

She was born in Oklahoma on May 1st, 1931 - Same day Empire State Building in NYC was completed.

Lela Mae lived in Colorado Springs where she learned to ice skate at The Broadmoor, then on to Scottsbluff, Nebraska where she graduated HS, and finally to South Texas where she met Topo, aka Russell George Pierce, at a college dance. They married in 1950 (51 years together!), began a holstein dairy operation on CR 428, raised 4 children: AngieSue, MarshaKay, StephanieMae, ConanRussell -- and built their lovely brick home on their land.

Lela and Topo loved vegetable gardening growing fresh produce for family and friends: fresh, frozen, canned - we loved it all. Bartering was a way of country life: veggies, fresh milk from our dairy, poultry from neighbors, beef from our farm, pork from Stockdale family, baked yummies from friends, and so on. Good active, sharing country farm life ...

Lela was a wonderful seamstress. She sewed clothes for all of us kiddos, for herself, 2-pocket buttoned cotton shirts for fussy dad, and curtains for our home. Mom was happily creative while sitting at her sewing machine.

Working in the yard around our home, in our garden, in our kitchen, and in our dairy parlor kept Lela trim, slim, strong. She loved fishing, hunting, camping and travelling with her family. No one could out fish Lela Mae, and when it came to hunting, she had a keen eye for all wildlife. Each summer we loaded our camper and drove west to national parks. Fantastic memories! Thank you, Mom and Dad: TeamDream!

May God hold Lela Mae in the palm of His hand. On Thursday afternoon, 30th of March 2023 - forty days shy of her 92nd birthday - Lela Mae transitioned in her home with family by her side. She had been speaking incessantly about Daddy and missing him immeasurably, as well as others, and recounting her days. We figure by now Momma is joyfully jitterbugging with Daddy, and having a high time! Geez, could they cut a rug! Happy for Lela and Topo together again!

Left behind are four children: Angie Pierce (Bernie Levine), Marsha Pierce Gulick (Roy), Stephanie Pierce Roberts + Rick, Conan Russell Pierce + Elizabeth. Grandchildren: Kelsi Adell Gulick Hughes + Travis, (Gracen Richard Gulick), Landen Russell Gulick, Ryan Timothy Pierce Burns, Justin Russell Pierce, Katherine Mae Pierce. Great-grandson: Cameron Wade Hughes.

.... AND many extended family and friends who knew Lela as kind, loving, generous, giving, joyful, creative, hard-working, pleasant, fervent Christian lady ....

Please join family and friends at First Baptist Church in Premont at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 4th, 2023, as we gather to remember Lela Mae Pierce and celebrate her godly life. Funeral Service will begin at 10:00 a.m. and burial will follow at the Premont Cemetery.

In lieu of flower arrangements or plants, please consider planting a flowering tree from a local nursery, OR a donation to Premont First Baptist Church.