NATICK: Mary (Spindel) Peirce, 75, died on Friday, Jan. 8, 2010 at the Newton Wellesley Hospital following a period of declining health.
She was born in Springfield, Illinois on April 21, 1934 the daughter of the late Uri Lloyd Spindel and Sara Nannette (Ginnaven) Spindel.
Mary was the wife of the late David Woodberry Peirce who died in August of 1994. She was the mother of James A. “Jim” Peirce, II of Charlton; Beth Peirce Campbell and her husband Douglas of Alexandria, VA; D. Lloyd Peirce and his wife JeanMarie of Niwot, CO. Grandmother of Nicholas Lloyd Campbell and Heather Nannette Campbell both of Alexandria, VA and a step-granddaughter Dawna of Niwot, CO. Mother of L. Stewart Peirce of North Grafton, MA.
Mrs. Peirce has been a resident of Natick for the past 47 years and previously resided in Ipswich and Springfield, Ill. She was a graduate of Springfield High School. She received her BA in Education from the Colorado College with the Class of 1956. She began her teaching career in elementary education in Manitou Springs, CO and also taught, tutored and volunteered in the Ipswich, Boston and Natick School systems. Mary’s greatest accomplishment was raising her four children in Natick to adulthood. She was a Girl Scout leader of elementary, junior high school and senior high school troops in Natick. She was an accomplished swimmer and began swimming in a local YMCA in Springfield, IL at the age of four. She was founder, director and a coach of the Natick Swim Club. Mary was a longtime member and volunteer of the Natick Chapter of the American Red Cross as the Water Safety Chairman from 1967 to 1983. Professionally, Mary has had a long career as a swimmer, coach, mentor and friend. In 1977 until 1984 she was the head coach for the Girls Swimming team at Framingham North High School. In 1981 she was named the Coach of the Year for all of Massachusetts for women’s swimming by the Boston Globe. In 1976 until 1987 she was associated with the Boys Swim Team at Natick High School. She began as an assistant coach and in 1979 became the first female head coach for a boys swim team. In 1986 she was named as the Coach of the year by the Boston Globe as the first woman to coach for a boy’s sports program. In 1992 she received the Hall of Fame Swimming Award by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Swim Coaches and was the only woman so honored. Mary also served in the Eastern MA Boys Swim Coaches as a representative to the MIAA Swim Committee, the Eastern MA Interscholastic Swim Coaches Assoc. as the secretary and the MA Easter Seal Society as a pre-school special needs swim teacher. She continued for several years to officiate high school and college swim meets.
Mary raised and bred Golden Retrievers and over the years was the proud owner of 14 Golden Retrievers. Mary was associated with the NEADS and one of her Golden Retrievers served and trained as a special need dog for handicapped individuals.
Mary was dedicated to her family and enjoyed visits and being with her grandchildren especially every July when they visited.
A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, January 11, 2010 at 11:00 am at the John C. Bryant Funeral Home, 56 Pemberton Road (OFF Route 30), Wayland.
At the request of her family there will be no funeral home visitations and family burial will take place in Roselawn Memorial Park in Springfield, IL at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, her family suggests that memorial gifts in Mary’s memory be sent to the Kane-Peirce Swimming Scholarship, c/o Natick High School, 15 West St, Natick, MA 01760.
For online condolences and directions, please visit www.johncbryantfuneralhome.com.