Doris Ann Pierce

She has left this earthly planet and is now free to be herself in what she called the "Cosmos" and the "Spirit World." Doris Ann Kunde Pierce died on April 28, 2026, four days after her 93rd birthday celebration. Such a life she lived...

She was born during the Great Depression on her grandfather Leesman's farm in Dixon, Illinois. Dori's mother, Viola Leesman Kunde, died when Dori was just 3 years old. Dori's father, Arthur Kunde, lovingly allowed her to be adopted by her uncle William Kunde and aunt Helen Dettman Kunde. She grew up on the Kunde farms where she developed a love of nature and animals. "My dream came true" when Uncle Bill bought her a horse named Judy, at age 11. "We had so much fun together gallivanting around the countryside and getting into mischief." Aunt Helen taught her to read at only three and a half years old. This love of reading took her on wonderful adventures, comforted her, and opened up the entire world to her from then on. Educated in a one-room schoolhouse, she went on to graduate from Sterling High School, and then received an Associate's degree at Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois. Later in her 30's, she took classes and studied Anthropology at a community college in Aurora, Illinois.

While working her freshman year summer job at Shady Shores Resort in Michigan, she met and fell in love with Philip Edwin Pierce. They committed their lives and love to each other in marriage on November 22nd, 1953 at 2nd Avenue Evangelical Church, Rock Falls, IL. "When we were first married, we were dirt poor we didn't have a pot to piss in. But we were so in love, it didn't matter," so Dori said. Their children, Michel (Pierce) and Laurie (Weber-Schwarzenberger) soon joined the family in Aurora, IL where they lived a very happy and "free-range" childhood. One of the family's most treasured memories was vacationing for over 15 years in Ely, MN at Eagles Nest Resort. Later in their married life, Dori and Phil were blessed with amazing opportunities and moved around the country, as Phil prospered as an executive in the railroad business. They lived in Fridley, MN; Louisville, KY; Colorado Springs, CO; and eventually landed in Ramsey, MN living on the Mississippi river. Dori and Phil enjoyed traveling during retirement and visited many ports of call including Panama, Greece, Australia, and Alaska.

Dori loved bird watching, quilting, reading, gardening, and made wonderful lifelong friends doing so. Another hobby was writing strongly worded letters to politicians and businesses, urging that they do better. She adored her pets; Sugar Bird, Patches, and her kitties Pyewacket, Painter, Sunny, Sally, Six Toes, and Cindy Lou.

Family and friends use these words to describe her:

● Joyful and Kind

● Loving and Accepting

● Funny and Unfiltered; "Such a character!"

● Inquisitive and always sought to increase knowledge of herself and others

● A feminist at heart, she knew women could do anything

● A fierce advocate for saving the world

● Lover of nature and animals

● "A stubborn German" (her words).

Those that meet her in the after-life include her husband Phil, parents and grandparents, sister in-law Linda (Pierce) Brokaw, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Roger and Fran Pierce, half-brother Marvin Kunde, nephew Jeff Parish and many beloved friends. Boy the fun they must be having together now!

 Those that are still here to laugh, cry, and tell her stories include: her loving children Michel Pierce and Laurie Weber-Schwarzenberger; son-in-law Joe Schwarzenberger IV; grandchildren Christopher Pierce (wife Lisa), Jennifer Pierce, Sarah Elise, and Sean Weber (fiancée Amie). Her great-grandchildren: Weylin Linkus, William Pierce, Landen Pierce, Ellie Mae Pierce, Austyn Mattingly (husband Eli) and her great-great grandchild Noah Mattingly. Dori was loved and adored by her sister-in-law Jean (Pierce) Parish and brother-in-law Robert Parish. Also, half-sister Marcia Vasque, half-brother "Butch" LaVerne Kunde, nieces Janet and Caroline Pierce, and nephew Steve Parish are still here to remember her.

Dori requested cremation so that she could be "sprinkled everywhere to help fertilize the flowers and earth." In her memory, she asks that her family and friends "plant clover to help populate the bees." If desired, you may donate in Dori's honor to the Minnesota Society for the Blind, and The Nature Conservancy.

At the very end of her life, she and Laurie could be heard reciting (loudly) a quote from one of Dori's favorite movies, Fried Green Tomatoes. "Towanda!!!"