Bonnie Louise Pierce

Bonnie Louise "Boots" Payne Pierce, born on March 19, 1946, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of June 2, 2012. Bonnie was the daughter of John and Gladys Payne of the 1300 block of Myrtle Ave in the Norfolk Highlands area of Chesapeake (Norfolk County in 1946). She met the love of her life, Everette "Earl" Pierce, at the Indian River Bowling Alley when she was fifteen years old, and after graduating from Great Bridge High School in 1964, she and Earl were married on her nineteenth birthday in 1965 . In 1966, their first son John was born. Three years later in 1969, their second son Jeffrey was born. Even when she became sick, Earl never left her side, spending time at Sentara Nursing Center every single day for eight years. This March they celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary. Bonnie was an amateur photographer and a very talented color artist. She began her career with Vacaro Studios in Chesapeake, which later became Max Ward-Delmar Studios, and is now Lifetouch, Inc. She was employed with them for over 30 years. Bonnie and Earl were both very passionate about horses. They pursued their passion of breeding and showing Arabian horses throughout their marriage and were quite successful. They traveled frequently and showed their own horses, as well as those they trained for customers and friends, often producing champion grade show horses. Wherever her beloved Arabians went when they passed, she is with them now. Bonnie is survived by her lifelong husband Earl; her elder son John Everette Pierce and wife Joyce; her younger son Jeffrey Earl Pierce and wife Jenn; three grandchildren, John’s son Logan Everette Pierce and Jeffrey’s two sons Aren Everette Pierce and Roan Cairns Pierce; her sister Rosalie Sawyer; and her close friends Roy Allen and Tim Manning; as well as many family members and dear friends she was lucky enough to have in her life. She will be sorely missed and remembered in our thoughts forever. The family will receive friends at Woodlawn Funeral Home, 6329 Virginia Beach Blvd., Norfolk, VA, from 6:30-8:30 PM on Monday, June 11. A service to celebrate her life will take place at Woodlawn at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, June 12. Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.woodlawngroup.com.