Ruth Esther Thompson Pierce

Preceded in death by husband James E. Pierce, parents Carl Ira Thompson & Margaret Catherine (Boots) Thompson, brothers - Charles David Thompson, Allen Ira Thompson, Roland John Thompson, sisters - Alice Elizabeth (Thompson) Swanson, Margaret Grace (Thompson) Johnson and Judith Ann (Thompson) Ruis. Survived by: Brothers: Carl Eugene Thompson and Richard Keith Thompson. Sons: Stephen 1. Pierce and wife Maggie (of Irvine, CA), Gary D. Pierce and wife Janet (of Gardnerville, NV). Grandchildren: Lorianne (Pierce) Rachedi and husband Amine, Tamara (Pierce) Huftgen and husband George, Michelle (Pierce) Paulson and husband Eric and James Pierce and fiancé Nicole. Great Grandchildren: Tyson, Owen & Riley Rached - George ]r., Claire, Sarah and Thomas Hultgen - Rhett, Avery and a soon-to-come new 'daughter Paulson"- along with many if not hundreds of relatives, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and fellow quilters. Ruth was the eldest of 9 children of Carl and Margaret Thompson of Elk River, Minnesota. Most all of the 9 children were born in the original house on their family dairy farm in Elk River, Minnesota. Her brother Richard (Dick) Thompson and wife Judy still live in the original farmhouse and dairy farm - her brother Carl Eugene (Gene) Thompson and wife Sally live on their property just across the road. Most all of the original family lived within a 20-mile radius - a very close family. Ruth met our dad Jim at her favorite ice-skating rink around 1943 just before our dad went off to the Army (WWII) to spend time in the Philippines and later in occupied Japan. When he returned, they were engaged and then married in 1948. Soon after came my brother Steve in 1949 and Gary in 1951. They started to build a house in New Brighten but soon decided to move to California in 1953. My dad had that desire because he spent time their just before he enlisted in the Army. Our mom told us many times that our dad let her make that final decision - it was very hard for her to be so far away from her family - but she said OK as long as we come back to visit at least once a year - so they did. We first arrived in Long Beach and eventually ended up in Stanton, California and lastly in Corona, California. In 1991 our mom and dad followed Janet and Gary and moved to Gardnerville, Nevada. They lived with Janet and Gary for a couple of years along with Janet's Mom Burdie. We were four generations in one household - it was a very special time. When Gary and Janet built their house in the Willow Creek area, they built a guest house that Ruth and lim moved in to in 2000. Our Dad was only able to spend about a year there before he passed -just after 9/11. Ruth worked at the quilt store that Janet and Gary had started in 1999 and for about 20 years of The Quilt House's 25 years - she was an important part of our business. Our mom always said that being able to keep busy and not to just stay home and think of who she had lost was what kept her going. Mom stayed in Gary & Janet's guest house until she moved into the Chateau senior living facility in Gardnerville in 2021. She made many new friends there and everyone loved her. Ruth loved family traditions, sharing her love of crafts and quilting and gifting most of it to family and friends. But mostly she lived an obedient life to the Lord and was a great living example to her sons and their wives, grandchildren and their wives and great grandchildren and to anyone who met her and got to know her. She loved her Church family at Hilltop Community Church in Carson City as well as her quilting family and friends. She especially loved her immediate family - we all were truly blessed with any time we could spend with her. We all know we can't choose our relatives, but our mom was truly blessed to have a God Blessed genealogy that our entire family enjoys. Much time was spent over many decades by our dad James E. Pierce in communication and research with many people to track this information down. Ruth's Great Great Grandfather - Joseph Paine Hill and wife Mary Cook Gray were the very first pioneers to homestead the Meadowvale, Minnesota area in the 1840s - in the same area where she was born and where most of Mom's family still live. Her Great Grandfather - Charles Albert Hill married his wife Minnie Augusta Eaton in 1878, and Minnie's father was George Alexander Eaton (born in 1811), and as the lineage goes - it goes all the way back to Francis Eaton (born in 1596) and his wife Sarah and newborn son Samuel (born in 1620) who all sailed on the Mayflower in 1620. Francis Eaton was one of the signers of the Mayflower Compact. It's always fun to find out where you come from. We Love You Mom - Grandma - Great Grandma - relatives and friends - and we all look forward to our time together with you again when we also will get to see Jesus - our Lord and Savior!! Viewing will be at Eastside Memorial Park on 1600 Buckeye Road on Thursday December 12th between 12noon -4om. Burial will be on Friday December 13th at Eastside Memorial Park for family only. There will be a 'Celebration of Life' service held sometime in March 2025 - exact date and time to be announced at a later date.

Ruth Esther Thompson Pierce

March 4, 1928 - December 2, 2024