Nancy Lee Pierce Howes

Nancy Lee Pierce Howes

Nancy Lee Pierce Howes (85) went peacefully to be with her Lord on September 12, 2022. Beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Great-grandmother, she will be sorely missed by her family and the community. Nancy was born December 3, 1936, in Gilroy, CA to George and Alice Pierce. She graduated from Gilroy High School and attended classes at Matanuska Community College in Palmer, AK. Nancy was a dedicated wife who served 20 years in the Navy, supporting her husband’s service. She kept the home fires burning and raised her two sons by herself whenever her husband was at sea. After he retired from the Navy, they moved to Alaska in 1973. In 1976, they bought the Idea Shop on the Parks Hwy. Nancy first taught ceramic classes and later, oil painting classes. Nancy ran the Idea Shop with her family until it closed in 2000. She continued to teach classes in the shop’s classroom for years after. Nancy was a painting teacher for many decades, loved by her students, many of whom continued to stay in contact with her. Even after health issues stopped classes, they would continue to visit her. Nancy also taught children’s painting classes for home schoolers for many years. Nancy was selected to create a painting for the 1984 US Constitution Bicentennial celebration by the Matanuska Valley US Constitution Bicentennial Commission. Nancy was a Raggedy Ann clown in the 80s to collect donations and volunteered to be jailed numerous times for Muscular Dystrophy fundraising. She loved doing floral arrangements for her beloved church, Fairview Loop Baptist Church.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 PM, October 1st, at Fairview Loop Baptist Church. Nancy will be interred with her loving husband, Richard, at Fort Richardson National Cemetery.

Nancy was preceded in death by her infant son, Timothy; both of her parents, George Pierce and Alice Barcelone; her loving husband, Richard Howes Jr; her siblings, Mildred Thompson, Charles Pierce, and John Pierce. Nancy is survived by her sons, Richard (Karen) Howes III of Wasilla, Robert Howes of Meadow Lakes; her grandchildren, Katherine (Timothy) Stamm of Kodiak; Michael (Katrina) Howes of Wasilla; 9 great-grandchildren, and her brother, George Pierce. If in lieu of flowers you would like to donate to the funeral funds, donations can be made to Alaska USA Federal Credit Union account # 733513 to help defray her funeral expenses.