Bette Lou Martin Pierce

January 18, 2021

Bette Lou Martin Pierce, 85, passed away January 18, 2021. She was born in the 1930’s and adopted at age three. In a period of time when tradition prepared young women for marriage and housekeeping, our mother was anything but traditional. From learning to play piano by ear as a child and playing in church by age 12, to learning the trumpet and helping start an all-girls jazz band. From joining the US Navy where she was the only female in her storekeeper class, to working dispatch for the Kentucky State Police and studying to be a paralegal at night at the University of Kentucky. She was a Lieutenant Commander, in the Ohio River Valley rescue squad--one of only two women, and worked in Frankfort within the KYNG Adjutant General's Office; the secretary of state's office and different state representatives. None of this was traditional to include the way she met our father. He had noticed her several times while she was playing at a traditional piano bar, but thought she was out of his league. She thought differently as they eloped six months later. Her life can be divided into three sections: Family, God and church, civic duty. Mom and dad would go on to have six children-- five survived-- and it wasn’t until we were well on our way in school that she started back to work as a paralegal for our city attorney, later as secretary to our mayor, and was eventually asked to fill in with other representatives. She never gave up playing the piano. She tutored, played in every church we attended, at weddings, funerals, and any place a pianist was needed. Her favorite musical selections were ones she personalized with swing or boogie-- because no one did it like she could. Our parents sacrificed much for us, loved us with a deep passion all children should know, and she loved her husband as deeply as all spouses should. Her examples of self-less service, fierce dedication and tenacious loyalty are too many to list but are standards by which we ourselves live. Let it be Known that Monday morning the Lord God said, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” She is survived by her husband Lloyd; daughters, Rachael Tolliver (Kathy), Hope Pierce (Mike Schladand), Betty (Jason) Herrick, and Laurel Pierce; and grandchildren, Christy, Miranda, Isaac, Sarinah, Wyatt and Audrey; and four great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her son, Frank; mother, Margaret; and father, Frank; brother, Sam McGuffin; and sister Jean. The family wishes to thank the nursing staff at Landmark of Bardstown. They skip breaks and meals, work 14-hour back-to-back days, and come in on their days off, all to make sure our families well cared for and are treated like they would treat their own. You are all warriors in the truest sense. Funeral services for Bette Lou will be at 1:30 PM on Thursday, January 21, 2021 at Ratterman & Sons Funeral Home, 3800 Bardstown Road. Visitation will be from 3-7 PM on Wednesday, January 20 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Association. Condolences may be shared at Ratterman.com.