Rosemary Pierron

Rosemary Wolff Pierron of Olathe died July 18th, 2015 from complications of Alzheimer's Disease. She was 89. She passed peacefully, surrounded by family at the Good Samaritan Nursing Center.
Visitation will be from 6pm to 8 pm Tuesday, July 21th, preceded by a rosary, 5:30 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. There will be a Mass of Christian burial at 11 am on Wednesday, July 22, at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 16000 W 143rd St., Olathe. Rosemary will be interred at Resurrection Cemetery, 8321 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kan, next to her beloved husband, Dr. G. Joseph Pierron.
Born Nov. 10, 1925, in Everest, Kan., Rosemary entered Highland Community College at the age of 16. She subsequently attended the University of Kansas where she met pre-medical student Joe Pierron. She claims the two often would sneak off together to wander through the underground steam tunnels on the KU Lawrence campus. As money was scarce, for entertainment they would sit on the benches outside the student hospital to watch the clouds change shapes.
Rosemary and Joe were married June 29, 1946 in Kansas City, Mo. at St. Stephen's Catholic Church. Upon Joe's graduation from the University of Kansas Medical School, the two developed a love of travel. Rosemary was smitten with Monterey, Calif; Joe was not. Joe grew homesick for Kansas City. The always outspoken Rosemary accepted her husband's decision with the rebuke: "Darn your buttons!" The couple returned to the Kansas City area and settled in Olathe, where Joe joined Dr. C.W. Jones in General Practice. Rosemary and Joe would later spend several years touring Europe during Joe's enlistment in the U.S. Army. They went to Europe with 4 children, returned with 6 and subsequently were blessed with three more.
Rosemary was an enthusiastic member of St. Paul's Catholic Church, Olathe where she was a room mother for nearly 20 years. She was active in the church's Altar Society and Parent Teacher Organization. She belonged to the Chrysantas Club and Culture Club in Olathe and served as a volunteer for the Olathe Red Cross and Olathe Medical Center. She was a Republican Party precinct committeewoman and precinct election judge.
Rosemary was a woman of wit, wisdom and purpose, unafraid to stand up and raise her voice. In 1961, she called attention to the lack of sewer service in Olathe by erecting an outhouse in the family backyard, an act of civil protest captured on the front page of the local newspaper. She asked questions few others dared consider ("Why didn't God put an arm in the middle of our backs so we could scratch our own backs?") As her children departed for trips and summer vacations she bid them farewell with her signature prayer: "Bring me a present."
Rosemary applied similar energy and imagination to her passion for garage sales, antique shopping, dinner parties, and playing bridge. She adored Frank Sinatra (After attending a Sinatra concert she returned home to announce that he sang, "I Got You Under My Skin" while pointing directly at her. No witnesses came forward to refute the story.) She loved gardening, yellow roses, European travel and vacations on Cape Cod. More than anything, she loved babies.
Grammy was the quintessential grandmother, available for sick children with a made up couch and lunch tray. No one left her home hungry.
Rosemary was preceded in death by her husband's passing in 1985, as well as the untimely death of her daughter-in-law Amy Pierron. Surviving her are her nine children:
George Joseph Pierron, Jr, and wife, Diana, Lawrence; Michael Pierron and wife, Ardis, Spring Hill; Donald Pierron and wife Judy, Frisco TX; Dr. Mary Lou Pierron, Needham, Mass; Thomas Pierron of Houston, Texas; Dr. Kathy Chartrand, Olathe; David Chartrand, son-in-law, Olathe; Richard Pierron and Lori Winningham, Olathe; Patricia Beavin and husband, Bill, Webster Groves, Missouri; Nancy Reynolds and husband, Eric, Overland Park. Twelve grandchildren: Sam, Abby, Dan, Alex, Teddy, Tim, Max, Matthew, Ava, Rose, Laura, Matthew and four great-grandchildren: Charlie; Amy, Ari, and Autumn Grace. She also is survived by a sister, Fern Nettleton, Lawrence, Kan., and two sisters-in-law: Maxine Pierron, Kansas City, MO; and Dee Williams, Colorado Springs, CO. Many nieces and nephews also grieve Rosemary's passing.
The Pierron family wishes to thank Dr. James Ruhlen, the Good Samaritan Nursing Center and Olathe Hospice for their loving care. Very special thanks to Ms. Connie Riggs, Rosemary's caregiver and close friend of 40 years.
The family requests donations to the Good Samaritan Center of Olathe and Olathe Hospice.
"Let's All Go Back to Bed!"


To leave a special message for the family please click the "share memories" tab above.