Dawn Theresa Pierce

Table{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin-top:0in;mso-para-margin-right:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-para-margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}Dawn Theresa Pierce, 77, of Woodbury, MN (formerly of La Crosse, WI) passed away Friday, May 23, 2014 due to complications of Alzheimers Disease. Dawn was born January 2, 1937 in La Crosse to Timothy and Gertrude (Schaitel) Burke. She learned to play the piano when she was 7 years old, and continued to until shortly before her death. Dawn attended St. James grade school and Aquinas High School, and attended the University of WI La Crosse in 1980-81. She married Russell Pierce on October 18, 1958 and they were blessed with 5 children. Dawn was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother. She was also an excellent cook and homemaker. She used her skills as an accompanist to play for weddings and funerals, Community Theater musicals, musical competitions and was a private music teacher for over 30 years. Dawn was also the organist at St James Church for 40 years, where she received the Woman of the Year Award in 1999. When she wasnt seated at a keyboard, she loved to read books, play cards, attend concerts, musicals, movies and travel with her family and friends. Dawn moved up to the Twin Cities in 2009 to be near her children and grandchildren, and she quickly found herself playing for Christmas shows and leading sing-a-longs. Dawn was preceded in death by her husband Russell and her brothers Ken, Warren and Dean and her sister Helen. She is survived by her brother Archie (Gloria) of Tucson, AZ and her children, Shannon (Rachael), Kathy (Gary), Theresa (Angie), Steven (Heidi) and Shaun (Bobbie) and 6 grandchildren, Joe (Lauren) and Samantha Bakken, Katie, Alex, April and Tyler Pierce. Visitation will be held on Sunday June 1thstth from 2pm-6pm at Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home 200 West Ave South, La Crosse, WI. Funeral Services, officiated by Monsignor Roger Scheckel, will be held on Monday June 2thndth at St. James the Less Church, 1032 Caledonia St, La Crosse, WI at 10:30am. There will be a one hour visitation at the church prior to the service and a luncheon at 11:30am following the funeral service. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimers Association of MN/North Dakota or St. James Church.