The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, January 24, 1995              TAG: 9501240204
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                         LENGTH: Short :   37 lines

ROSE V. PIERCE

Rose ``Patsy'' Veronica Pierce, 82, of the 3800 block of Pecan St., died Jan. 22, 1995, at Maryview Hospital after a long illness.

She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, raised in Cavan, Ireland and came to the United States April 1, 1930 to Buffalo, N.Y. She was a member of the Empire State Building Association and rescued many during the famous Airplane-Fire Crash of July 5, 1945. She was decorated by the mayor of New York City, by the governor of New York, the Bishop of New York and the War Production Board. She sang as a member of the Metropolitan Chorus.

She moved to Virginia in 1951 and worked at Leggett, was a Girl Scout leader, and a member of St. Therese Catholic Church, Portsmouth.

Survivors include her beloved husband of 56 years, William P. Pierce; two sons, Patrick W. Pierce of Santa Cruz, Calif. and William ``Billy'' P. Pierce of Portsmouth; two daughters, Carolyn R. Buckelew and husband, Paul of Old Bridge, N.J., and granddaughter, Heather; and Mary Ann Chaney and husband, Ted, and one granddaughter, Michele Ann, and two grandsons, Michael and Teddy, and one great-granddaughter, Leslie Rose. A brother, Michael McHugh and his wife, Mary, of Parma, Ohio also survive her.

Visitation will be from 6 to 7 p.m. today, followed by the funeral Mass at the Church of St. Therese, 4137 Portsmouth Blvd., Chesapeake, by Father James C. Griffin. Interment of remains will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Suffolk, at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Potted plants are requested or donations may be made for trees to be planted by Tree People Inc. (818)753-4631. Hill Funeral Home, Suffolk, is handling arrangements.

KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY by CNB