Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Lower, Barbara Jane (Pierce) January 9, 2018
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Pat Currigan currigan1932@comcast.net May 5, 2020, 7:32 am

Ionia Sentinel Standard-Thurs. Jan. 11, 2018

BARBARA LOWER, 91
Barbara Jane (Pierce) Lower, 91, died peacefully Tuesday morning in St. Joseph with
her daughter at her side. The rest of her eight children were nearby or en route.

Barbara was born in Detroit on March 28, 1926, the second child of Bruce and Helen 
Pierce. The family moved to Ionia when Barbara was in elementary school. She
graduated SS. Peter & Paul School in 1943. She attended Marygrove College in Detroit,
graduating in 1947 with a Bachelor's degree inChemistry. Barbara married Robert Lower on 
July 10, 1948.

For 91 years Barbara said "yes" to the joys and mysteries and sadness of life's
feast; to her husband Bob's request that she marry him, she said "yes", to any request 
from her 8 children or her 16 grandchildren, she said "yes", to any piece of chocolate, she
always said "yes" ("Lent is coming so I have to work fast.")

She was a full participant in her family, on her street, in her church, and in her
community; whether it was cooking and baking for family and friends, bartending at the K of C.,
listening to a friend talk about a loss, delivering Meal on Wheels, making pies for
the Free Fair Church tent or SSPP Bingo, cleaning the church, or serving s a school room
mother or scout leader.

She said yes to more than chocolate. she regularly agreed to activities she was
afraid of; snow skiing, boating, snowmobiling, traveling alone to visit her son in China,
descending from the Great Wall on a zip line. She was willing to do about anything if it meant
she could spend time with her family. Her enthusiasm was infectious and her children and 
grandchildren know they owe a lot to her.

Next to losing her husband 35 years ago, Barbara's greatest disappointment was her 
inability to participate in this feast of life the last three years; attending
weddings of grandchildren; traveling freely; knitting and sewing; playing Scrabble and Bridge.

Barbara is survived by her sister , Mary Ann Pierce; her eight children, Mary
(Marshall) MacFarlane, Roberta (John) Colbert, Nancy (Neil)Alexander, Susan (William) Bauer,
Bruce (Cindy) Lower, Amy (Tim) Davidek, and Laurie Mundt. She has sixteen grandchildren
and four great-grandchildren. Barbara was preceded in death by her husband Robert Lower;
her brother, James Pierce, and her parents, Bruce and Helen Pierce.

The memorial mass will be celebrated by Rev. Thomas Brown at 1 pm. Friday, Jan 12,
2018, at SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Ionia. The family will receive visitors from
4-7pm on Thursday at the Lehman Funeral Home, 220 rich St., Ionia. The rosary will be prayed
on Thursday evening at 6:30 pm at the funeral chapel. Arrangements are entrusted to
Lehman funeral Homes.

Online condolences may be made at lehmanfuneralhomes.com

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