SALEM - Joan C. (Kobialka) Pierce, 67, of Portsmouth, NH, formerly of Salem, MA, died suddenly, Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at the Portsmouth General Hospital, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Born in Salem, she was the daughter of the late John and Josephine (Pastuszak) Kobialka. She was a graduate of Salem High School in the class of 1961 and was a resident of Salem until moving to Portsmouth in 1999.
Joan was employed as a waitress on the North Shore for many years. She was currently employed in the bakery of the DeMoulas/Market Basket Supermarket in Portsmouth.
Joan was an athletic person who enjoyed taking part in sports, from her school years into adulthood. She played softball for the Ward II Social Club, Salem and participated in league bowling for many years.
While residing in Salem, she was a parishioner of the St. Thomas The Apostle Church, Peabody and for the past several years was an active parishioner of the Corpus Christi Parish in Portsmouth, where she volunteered her time both locally and in other parts of the country to assist those less fortunate.
Her happiest moments were spending time with each of her grandchildren whom she loved and adored. She was a very warm and loving grandmother.
She is survived by two daughters, Diane Waitte and Wendy Rudy, both of Salem, one son, Richard Pierce of Haverhill, 8 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, 3 brothers, Theodore Kobialka of Salem, Joseph Kobialka of Beverly, Paul Kobialka of Danvers, 1 sister, Mary DeFranco of Salem and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by one son, Scott Pierce, and was the sister of the late Emile Kobialka, Edward Kobialka, Helen Fido and Lauretta Kobialka.
Her funeral service will be held Monday, June 27, 2011 at 9 am from the Full-Spychalski Funeral Home, 84 Washington Square East, by Salem Common, Salem, MA followed by a funeral Mass at 10 am at the St. Thomas The Apostle Church, Route 114 on the Salem-Peabody town line. Visiting hours are Sunday in the funeral home from, 3 to 7 pm. Burial in Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem. Relatives and friends respectfully invited. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, 311 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472 www.alz.org or to the Corpus Christi Parish, 2075 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth, NH 03801. For on-line guestbook and directions, visit www.SalemFuneral.com.