Barbara Jeanne "Jeanne" Peirce

Jeanne Peirce

Born as Barbara Jeanne Swan on May 28, 1930, in Oakland, California, she went by her middle name, Jeanne her entire life. Jeanne was the fifth child of Christina Mino Raridan and William Joseph Swan. Her parents divorced when she was two, so Mino raised all the kids in a boarding house that she ran near Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA.

Mom had three sisters and a brother, Mary Eileen, Donald Arthur, Patricia Anne, and Josephine Lorraine. Jeanne walked to her elementary school, Our Lady of Lourdes, in Oakland, every day. Then she attended Holy Names High school taking the bus. After graduating in 1948, Jeanne attended a business school for a while. She also enjoyed music, singing and piano. She and her friends loved performing in musicals at Woodminster amphitheater in Oakland in the Oakland Hills.

With her newly acquired business skills, she was able to get a job in the CSAA office in Oakland California. This was the place that she met Donald Lucius Peirce. They dated; dad proposed to her at the Cliff House in San Francisco. They were married on October 17, 1953, at Our Lady of Lourdes.

They lived in their first home in Walnut Creek, California where their first five children were born, Teresa, Kathleen, Paul, Peter, and Jim. Later, they moved to Paradise, CA as dad was transferred by CSAA to the Chico office in 1961 after Jim was born. Next, they then moved to Sacramento, CA with CSAA living in three different houses, and two more daughters were born, Janet and Christina. In 1969 they moved to their home in Pleasant Hill and lived there for 50 years. Mom was so happy to put down roots.

When moms' kids were grown, she took a job at a travel agency. Mom and Dad had traveled a lot but with this job she traveled all the time on what she called "fam trips" by herself. When they gave up traveling, they bought a place in Palm Desert and then La Quinta, where they spent 4 to 5 months of the year. Dad said, "Life is too short not to play golf!" Everywhere mom was, she made friends.

When Dad died on October 29, 2015, after 62 years of marriage, Mom lived in the house with Dad's dog Sarah, until March of 2019 when she moved into Greg and Teresa's home. On December 27, 2024, Jeanne suffered a stroke at night. She was paralyzed on her left side which meant moving her to a care facility, Carlton Senior Living in Martinez/Pleasant Hill. When she moved in there were four retired Catholic priests who lived there and said Mass every Saturday. This was a comfort for her. Having her own place gave everyone a chance to visit her often, especially we children and grandchildren. Rarely did a day go by that someone was not there to visit. Everyone loved mom there and they took loving care of her. At age 95 and 4 months her body decided to return to God.

Mom's faith was a hallmark of her life. She sang in the church choir and participated in every way she could. She and dad collected food for Loaves and Fishes, and they were always late to Christmas Eve because of their service to others. All of us children attended Catholic elementary school. She leaves a posterity of 21 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren. We are so grateful to have been raised by such a wonderful loving Mother.

Mom arranged all her services in 2017. Dad was cremated and has been in our house, waiting to be interred with Mom at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon. This will take place on October 22, 2025.

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, there will be a Visitation at Queen of Heaven Chapel, 1965 Reliez Valley Road, Lafayette, CA from 3 to 7PM. The Rosary will be at 5 PM and after that there will be an opportunity for people to speak about Mom.

Thursday, October 23, 2025, will be her Funeral Mass at St. Stephan Catholic Church, 1101 Keaveny Ct., Walnut Creek, CA. at 11 AM.