Sally W Pierce

Born in New York City on February 22, 1919 to Dr. Allan Woodcock and Priscilla Crosby Woodcock, she grew up in Bangor. She graduated from Bangor High School, Manhattanville College in New York City, and from the Katharine Gibbs School. She worked briefly in Boston before marrying Jotham Donnell Pierce of Portland in 1942. Following his service in World War II, they moved to the Portland area. Mr. Pierce died in 1990.

Having studied the piano for over 40 years, she began studying the cello at age 47. She played in a string quartet and attended summer string quartet workshops run by the Portland String Quartet. She played in the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra until she was 89.

For about 30 summers, she vacationed with various family members in Santa Fe, New Mexico to attend performances of the Santa Fe Opera, which was founded by her cousin John Crosby. She read widely in American and European fiction classics, with a particular fondness for Evelyn Waugh.

A devout Catholic, she treated others with interest, sensitivity, and kindness. She had a close and distinct relationship with each of her six children, their spouses, and her 13 grandchildren. She cared about style and was always a gracious lady.

She was predeceased by her husband, Jotham, and by her brothers, John and Allan Jr. of Bangor. She is survived by her children: Jotham and his wife Carol of Santa Rosa, CA; Deborah Nicklas and her husband David of Falmouth; Christopher and his wife Nancy of Cumberland Foreside; Priscilla Bass and her husband John of Portland and Birmingham, AL; James and his wife Polly of Cumberland Foreside; and Marianna of Cambridge, MA. She is survived by 13 grandchildren: Katherine (Jotham and Carol’s child); Charlotte and Paul (Deborah and David’s children); Christopher Jr., Edward, Richard, and Leonard (Chris and Nancy’s children); James and Lucy (Priscilla and John’s children); Jotham, Anne, Caroline, and Ellen (James and Polly’s children); and their spouses. She is also survived by 13 great-grandchildren; by 28 nephews and nieces; and by her Belgian “daughter” Ria Peuskens, who was an AFS student with the Pierce family in 1962-63.

The family would like to thank the helpers from Home Partners who cared for her for both at her home and at Falmouth House, the staff at Falmouth House, and the staff at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra, P.O. Box 86, Brunswick, ME, midcoastsymphony.org, or to the Santa Fe Opera, 301 Opera Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87506-2823, santafeopera.org, or to a charity of your choice.

Visiting hours will be held at Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford Street, Portland on Sunday, July 16, 2017 from 3:00-5:00 pm. A funeral mass will be celebrated at Holy Martyrs’ Church, 266 Foreside Road, Falmouth on Monday, July 17 at 11:00 am. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland.

Arrangements under the direction of Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, Portland, ME.