Joan Pierce
Bozrah — Joan Pierce, 92, formerly of Uncasville, passed away Monday, May 2, 2022.
She was born June 18, 1959, in Springfield, Mass., the daughter of the late George and Marguerite McConnell.
Joan graduated from Adams High School in 1948 with a love for math, marching in the band, and playing basketball.
In 1952, she graduated with a Bachelor of Music from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Mass. She played in the 50 Piano Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fielder at Boston’s Symphony Hall and sang in the Conservatory Chorus with the Boston Symphony, which was two blocks from Fenway Park and her favorite team of the Red Sox. Then she moved to Montville and got a job as a supervisor of music in the Montville school system.
In 1954, Joan married the love of her life, Willard Pierce, who got a job as music director in the Waterford school system. In 1963, Willard got a job at the Montville school system, where he established the instrumental program that was the beginning of the Pierce-Pierce music department.
In 1963, the Montville music department obtained a membership for the Metropolitan Opera in New York, which enabled the music department to buy 40 tickets every year for the performance for students. The students would study that opera in class, a test was given, and the tickets were divided between the classes to the students with the top scores. It was an exciting day, bus to New York, beautiful building, magnificent stage, and great performance to remember. Over one thousand Montville students got to see the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
She had wonderful years at Montville High School teaching general music classes. With the help of the students, she produced the Christmas and the spring shows every year. She was also adviser for the junior and senior baton club and traveled with the band from 1973 to 1983 to field show competitions from Canada to Florida and won many trophies.
In 1976, the 7th and 8th grade left the high school and moved to Murphy Jr. High School in Oakdale, where the general music classes continued on, the students still sang in the high school concerts. At the end of the day, she would rush to Montville High School to work with the baton club.
In 1989, Joan was chosen for the Teacher of the Year award for Montville and in June she retired after 37 years at Montville High School.
Then a new phase of her life began, a part-time job at Connecticut College, and she also became a volunteer at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital for 15 years, which led her to become the buyer for the Lobby Shop.
Finally in 2002, Joan and Bill decided it was time to see the world. In the next 10 years they traveled to Australia, Russia, South Seas to China and river cruises in Europe. Joan had a great life, 62 wonderful years with Bill, loving what she did, and had a special space in her heart for her students, friends, neighbors, and her unofficial sister Eileen Button.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 5, at St. John’s Church, 22 Maple Ave., Montville. Burial will follow in Maplewood Cemetery. There are no calling hours.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan’s memory may be made to St. John’s Church. Byles Memorial Home, 99 Huntington St., New London, is assisting with the arrangements. Please visit www. byles.com to sign the guest book.