Buelah J. Pierson

Buelah Jean Pierson, one of three children of Hazel (Hawk) and Harold Wells, was born on May 18, 1930 in St. Mary's, Kansas. She grew up in St. Mary's, where she graduated from high school. Following school, Buelah worked as a phone operator for the telephone company. There she met a young man, Gerold Leory Pierson, who worked as a cable splicer.

The couple was married on January 7, 1949 at St. Mary's. In 1951, they began farming in the area. They later moved to a farm near Carson, Iowa in 1955. They also lived on farms near Emerson and Wales, Iowa, before settling on a farm near Hastings, Iowa. Their marriage was blessed with four sons, Wayne Lee Pierson, who died in infancy, Carlos, Steve, and Douglas. They retired from farming in 1987 and moved to live in Emerson, Iowa.

Buelah and Gerold were married 39 years when Gerold passed away on April 17, 1998 in Omaha, Nebraska. Buelah continued to make her home in Emerson.

Buelah kept busy as homemaker, farm wife, and mother. She was a member of the Emerson United Methodist Church and enjoyed getting together with the women's coffee group. Buelah loved to decorate cakes, enjoyed reading, and loved spending time with her family, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Buelah passed away at her home in Emerson on June 1, 2011, at the age of 81 years and 14 days. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Gerold Pierson; infant son Wayne Pierson; sister Florence Werner and husband Bob; brothers-in-law, Floyd Pierson, Donald Pierson, and Lyle Pierson; and sisters-in-law, Dorothy Welton, Ruth Nelson, and Pearl Shukis.

Buelah is survived by her sons, Carlos Pierson and wife Cindy of Hastings, Steve Pierson of Emerson, and Douglas Pierson and wife Rita of Cherokee, IA; eight grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; brother Melvin Wells and wife Carol of Holton, KS; sister-in-law Ruby Wilkinson of Henderson, IA; and other relatives and friends.

Interment will be held at a later date in the Emerson Cemetery, Emerson, Iowa.