Dale (Strack) Pierson, age 88, a resident of East Providence, RI, formerly of Saint Simons Island, GA and Andover, MA, passed away peacefully at Tockwotton on the Waterfront on Sunday, November 10, 2024, with her husband and children by her side. She was the beloved wife of Arthur H. Pierson with whom she shared 60 years of marriage.

She was born in Stamford, CT on August 31, 1936 and was the daughter of the late Bradford and Henrietta (Wennrich) Strack.

Dale graduated from Norwalk High School in 1954 and continued her education at the University of Connecticut where she held several leadership roles, including President of the Women's Student Government Council and treasurer of her sorority, Delta Zeta. Majoring in bacteriology, Dale earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1958. After working for several years as a bacteriologist for Pfizer and for Sloan-Kettering cancer research, she developed an allergy to rodents and returned to school. After earning a Master's degree in Education from the University of Bridgeport in 1965, Dale taught Spanish and other subjects for several years, including at the Bridgeport, CT and Andover, MA public schools where her children later attended.

Dale and Arthur were married at Saint Paul’s on the Green in Norwalk, CT in 1964. A cradle Episcopalian, Dale was active in the Episcopal Church wherever she lived: Grace Church in Norwalk, CT, Christ Church in Andover, MA, and Christ Church Frederica in Saint Simons Island, GA, where she and Arthur retired. In addition to many decades singing in the choir, Dale served in several leadership roles including the Altar Guild and Vestry and as Chairperson of the annual Christ Church Andover Christmas Fair as well as on the search committee for a new Rector of Christ Church, Frederica. A lover of music, Dale could often be heard humming Christmas hymns throughout the holiday season bringing cheer and warmth to her family and friends.

In addition to her numerous roles in her religious community, Dale was very active in her local community. Dale was Treasurer of Andona as well as Chairperson of Clown Town in Andover, an annual Andona event raising money for youth charities. She was also a member of the League of Women's Voters, Toastmasters and worked for the St Simons Island Land Trust.

As her children grew, Dale became one of the early employees of Wang Laboratories, launching her career as a software engineer and later working at several healthcare technology companies in the Boston area. She spent one very late night on New Year’s Eve 1999 keeping watch for Y2K issues.

Dale loved to travel and she and Art visited England, Germany, France, New Zealand, the Bahamas and China as well as embarking on a solo trip to Dubai to visit her daughter. In 1980, Dale and her family welcomed Frida Eriksson, a high school student from Sweden, to live in their home for a year as part of the AFS program, developing a close and special bond that lasted a lifetime. Dale and her family also hosted students from Japan and Germany. A lifelong reader, Dale loved the beach and took many outings with her family to beaches up and down the east coast. When she wasn’t reading, she could be found working on a cross-stitch or needlepoint project, which her family and friends now deeply cherish.

Dale deeply loved her family and found great joy spending time with her grandchildren, whether it was playing games, setting up a lemonade stand or catching up on their lives. We all remember her positive spirit and care for others despite the health challenges she experienced later in life.

In addition to her loving husband, Dale leaves her children, Geoffrey Pierson and his wife Ana of Westford, MA, and Kathryn (Pierson) Lundin and her husband Stephen of Providence, RI; her grandchildren, Gunnar and Axel Lundin, and Nina and Ella Pierson; her brother, Donald Strack and his wife Angela of Fort Myers, FL; and her nieces Michelle Duffy of Fort Myers, FL and Donna Dasse of Cashiers, NC and nephew Chris Strack of Monroe, CT.

Arrangements are with Family’s Choice Cremation, 8 Schoolhouse Rd. Warren, RI. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, March 29th at 2pm at Christ Church Frederica, Saint Simons Island, GA followed by a reception in the Parish Hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dale’s honor to the Norman Prince Neurosciences Institute (NPNI) at Brown University Health at 10 Davol Sq. Suite 201, Providence, Rhode Island, 02903 or via the following link: https://giving.brownhealth.org/npni-donate.