Clark "Blackie" Pierce

January 12, 1931 - May 18, 2009

Clark "Blackie" Pierce, 78, of 1411 Monona Street in Boone passed away at the Boone County Hospital on Wednesday morning, May 13, 2009. He was born on January 12, 1931, in Guthrie County, Iowa the son of Clarence and Eve (Smouse) Pierce. Blackie attended school in Bagley, Iowa. On June 27, 1955, he married Betty Palmer-Johnson. The couple started their life in Perry, Iowa before moving to Boone in 1964. Blackie and Betty was blessed with a daughter, Karla on December 21, 1961. Blackie was a crane operator for several contractors, with a specialty in building bridges and large overpasses. In 1989, he retired. He enjoyed fishing, mushroom hunting, playing poker at Tama and teaching his two grandsons the fine arts of life through his stories he loved to tell. Blackie always enjoyed a good story or joke. He was a true friend to everyone. He had a green thumb for gardening, especially his Big Bertha peppers. His parents, 4 brothers, Warren, Gene, Leon “Red” and Lee; a sister, Evelyn; and a step-son Kenneth Dean Johnson preceded him in death. Survivors include his wife of 54 years Betty; a daughter Karla Snyder and husband Scot of Boone; 2 grandsons Blaine and Tyler Snyder both of Boone; a brother-in-law John Palmer of Perry, Iowa; a sister-in-law Ruth Schwanebeck and husband Carl of Knoxville, Iowa; a sister-in-law Jean Pierce of Linden, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews. Services will be held on Monday afternoon, May 18th at 1:00 p.m. at the Stark-Welin Chapel in Boone with Pastor Daniel Solomon officiating. Interment will be in the Squire Boone Cemetery southeast of Boone. Friends may call at the Stark-Welin Chapel on Sunday afternoon from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. with the family present during that time to greet friends. Visitations will continue at the Chapel on Monday morning from 8:00 a.m. until the time of service. Those wishing to express their sympathies through a memorial may direct their gift to the family.