Barbara Ellen Pierce

1942 - 2023

Evansville, WI - Barbara Ellen Pierce (neé Hook), 80, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 24th, 2023, following a brief illness. She was born on August 13th, 1942, in Madison to Leslie and Dowyle (Newton) Hook and grew up on their farm in Brooklyn, Wisconsin with her younger brother, Wayne. She graduated from Brooklyn High School in 1960 and in 1963 married her life-long partner, Norman Pierce.

Together they had a son, Kurt, and raised him in Evansville, where Norm worked as a deputy sheriff and detective for Rock County and Barb as a nurse. She also served the Evansville community for many years as an EMT. Throughout her life, Barb greatly enjoyed bowling, quilting and knitting, and researching family genealogy, and she had an extensive collection of Raggedy Anne and Andy dolls. She and Norm traveled a lot in their retirement, visiting Australia, Alaska, the U.K., and Germany and Switzerland. Once they became grandparents, she and Norm loved spending time with their two granddaughters and attending their events.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents, Leslie and Dowyle Hook; parents-in-law, Earl and Wilma Pierce; sister-in-law, Geraldine Pierce; and husband, Norman, in 2022. She is survived by her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren, Kurt, Tammy, Elyse and Madeleine Pierce; brother, Wayne (Jeanne) Hook; brothers-in-law Ron (Jane), Dick, and Larry (Sandy) Pierce; sister-in-law Jackie Klusmeyer; and many nieces and nephews and friends. The family would like to express their appreciation toward Emily and the rest of the staff at Kelly House assisted living facility in Evansville for their gracious care of Barb in her final months.

A visitation will be held from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM on Friday, April 28, 2023, at the Ward-Hurtley Funeral Home, Evansville. Burial will follow in Maple Hill Cemetery. For online condolences please visit www.wardhurtley.com