RETA GLEE PIERSON née GASSER March 28, 1919 - April 5, 2011 Six days after her 92nd birthday, long-time Lethbridge resident Reta Pierson passed away quietly following a long illness on the evening of Tuesday, April 5, 2011. Reta spent most of her childhood at Hartell in the rural landscape of her family’s farm near High River. A sturdy log cabin, hand-constructed by her father and Uncle Roy Anderson, sheltered the family from the extremes of Alberta winters. After her high school graduation, Reta chose teaching as a career. She earned her certificate in Normal School and welcomed her first class of students to the one-room schoolhouse at Mercury camp. In 1948 Reta married David Pierson, a man she said, “Made her laugh and spoiled her rotten.” They settled in Lethbridge where Reta taught first grade and began to plant and nurture the first of her many beautiful gardens. In addition to full time teaching, she earned a bachelor’s degree in education attending classes at night school. Reta and Dave shared many summer road trips, camping in national forests or visiting family. Retirement afforded Reta the time for distant and exotic travel opportunities. After Dave’s death in December of 1970, she studied photography and preserved her world travels in vivid and interesting photographic slides. At home, Reta expressed great pleasure that her family farm had been passed on to her cousin, Ann Doyle (née Anderson). In whose home she enjoyed holiday events and was “Grandmother.” In 1978 Reta designed and built a new home in Tudor Estates that enjoyed an expansive view of nature in and around the coulee adjacent to her back yard. In addition to planting her annual gardens, Reta was particularly fond of watching the local bird populations. Spring would find her anxiously watching the customized bluebird house attached to her back fence for the arrival of a nesting pair. Well into her late 80’s Reta could recite entire poems from her grammar school days, win a card game, and savour a good joke. Reta was predeceased in death by her husband David Pierson, December 1970, her father Charles Lee Gasser, 1956, mother Annie Reta Gasser, 1979, and brother James Charles Gasser, COL USMC, August 1970. She is survived by her four nephews and nieces; Michael Gasser, Holly Nappen, Lane Browning, and Charles Gasser (and their five children). A Private Burial was held at Mountain View Cemetery. In memory of Reta, a memorial donation may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, 1825 Park Road SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 3Y6. Honoured to serve the family, CORNERSTONE FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORIUM, 2800 Mayor Magrath Drive South, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 7B1. Telephone (403) 381-7777. E-mail: care@cornerstonefh.ca