After 92 years and three months, Jeanette Ava (Morton) Pierce has departed this world after a year-and-a-half battle with cancer.
Jeanette was born Aug. 11, 1932, to Millard E. Morton and Maud C. (Kaler) Murray.
She grew up on West Neck and attended local schools in Damariscotta Mills. She completed one year at Lincoln Academy.
She began working at an early age. Her first job was at the Alewive Stream in The Mills where she worked processing fish.
She always shared fond memories of life on the Kaler homestead where she grew up. Even recalling to her great-grandchildren that there was no TV or running water and they used an outhouse, much to the children’s shock.
Her life was not always easy and in her journey tough decisions sometimes had to be made.
She married her first husband at a young age and she had her first child, a daughter, Mary Elizabeth, not long after.
After her marriage ended, her daughter was brought up with her father’s family.
In 1954 she had her second child and second daughter, Carol Ann, who was named for Jeanette’s uncle Carroll Kaler. She always said “I didn’t want to miss dessert” so she took a piece of pie with her to the hospital.
During this time, Jeanette worked as a housekeeper at many local places, doing all she could to provide for her daughter. Those times being as tough as we all know they were, Jeanette made more tough decisions that left her heartbroken.
In 1957 while working at Sylvania, she met and later married William Pierce. They married in 1958, and with his two sons, they blended their families and added their own son, William, in 1959.
Jeanette was a wonderful cook, had a great sense of humor and memory like no other.
In 1976 the first grandchild arrived and Jeanette fell in love all over again. Her love grew with the birth of each of her nine grandchildren. Then the great-grandchildren began arriving in 2000.
She displayed pictures in her home of her family and was proud to watch them all grow.
Even though she never had a driver’s license, she was always ready to go for a ride, especially if it resulted in ice cream. She was also a diehard race fan and spent many Saturday nights at Wiscasset Speedway with her husband, Bill.
When Bill passed away in 2016, she was determined to live in their home until she no longer could. She even had a fall in early November a few years ago while getting the mail that resulted in a broken hip. She waved down a car to get help. After surgery she was determined to be home by Christmas and she was!
She will be greatly missed by all who loved her.
Jeanette was predeceased by her parents; half sister, Louise; her brother, George Murray; husband of 58 years, William Pierce; and grandson, David Monti.
She is survived by her children, daughter, Mary Elizabeth Newcomb, of Bethel; son, Terry Pierce and wife, Barbara, of Mars Hills, son, Lynn Pierce and wife, Nancy, of Jefferson; daughter, Carol Small and husband, John, of Warren; daughter, Deborah Brady and husband, Dan, of Camden; and son, Jeffery Poole, of South Bristol, who were raised by loving families; and son, William A. Pierce and wife, Linda, of Nobleboro; 12 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
Per her request there will be no service as she had her “farewell” party on her terms.
A private burial will be at a later date.
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