Alice Pierce

Alice C. (Palmer) Pierce, Age 80, Of Battle Creek, Died Monday, April 25, 2016. Alice was born on May 19, 1935, in Alma, MI, the daughter of James H. Palmer and Evelyn (Moats) Palmer. The family later moved to Midland, MI where Mrs. Pierce graduated from Midland Senior High School. She earned a B.A. degree from Manchester College in Indiana and graduate work from both Western Michigan and U of M earning a Master’s degree from Western. Following her graduation from Manchester, Mrs. Pierce began working at the Dow Chemical Company in their then fledging computer department until 1958 when she came to Battle Creek to teach for Battle Creek Public Schools. She taught first at Southwestern Junior High, then Kellogg Community College where she was a member of the English Department as well as team teaching with the late David Frederick in the speech department and serving as a traveling judge of KCC’s debate team. Her greatest service, however, was the administration of KCC’s degree program offered to the women living at Crane Prison in Coldwater, a position she held for 8 ½ years before returning to the English department. She met, then married her beloved Frederick on June 17, 1961, a marriage lasting 51 years until his death. She is survived by her five children, Stephen (Judy) of San Jose, CA, Suzanne (Ron) Cady of Battle Creek, Stanley (Marianne) of Grand Rapids, MI, Matthew of Battle Creek and Grady of Winter Garden, FL; 7 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother and her great granddaughter, Jackie. Both Mrs. Pierce and her husband were devoted fans of the Detroit Tigers and took great delight in traveling to see them in all the American League ballparks in which they played. Mrs. Pierce was a long-time member of First Presbyterian Church where she taught in the Sunday school, served on the session (elders), belonged to the Miriam Circle and worked as a volunteer for many years in the church office. In accordance with her wishes cremation has taken place and there will be no service. In lieu of flowers the family request memorials to the First Presbyterian Church. Arrangements by the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home. www.henryfuneralhome.org

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