Plan for the Future
Florence R. Pierson
Beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother & Friend
Florence R. Pierson (nee Gerlach), formerly of Chatham and Mantoloking, N.J., passed away peacefully on June 6th at the Meridian Rehab Center at the age of 97. Family and friends are invited to attend the visitation on Thursday, June 8, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Wm. A. Bradley & Son Funeral Home, 345 Main Street, Chatham, N.J. A prayer service will take place on Friday, June 9th, at 10:30 a.m. in the funeral home. Entombment will be in Holy Rood Cemetery, 61 Whippany Road, Morristown, N. J.
Florence was born in Newark, NJ in 1919 to the late Frieda and Matthew Gerlach. Married in 1942, she and her husband, Jack, moved to Chatham in 1951 where she raised her family and lived for nearly fifty years. Florence moved to her summer home in Mantoloking in 1999, where she resided until evacuated during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Florence was the wife of the late John J. (“Jackie”) Pierson, former President of Local 825 of the Operating Engineers. Surviving are her loving children, Carol-Lee Ronco (and her late husband, Honorable Leonard Ronco), J. J. Pierson and his wife, Colleen, and Craig Pierson; her Grandchildren Peter Gaglioti and his wife Rose, Sarah Pierson Mulhaul and her husband Tyler, John J. Pierson, III, Grace Lahoud and Cooper Lahoud; and her dear Great Grandchildren, Robert Mason Mulhaul, Madison Beth Mulhaul and Emilia Francesca Gaglioti. Florence is also survived by her loving sister, Grace Hodshon and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother Rod Gerlach, her sister-in-law Claire Gerlach and her brother-in-law Dick Hodshon.
Flo will always be remembered for her love of family, her deep faith, her crocheted blankets, her beautiful blue eyes and her large personality! She will be missed dearly!
The family sends a special thanks to Mom’s many care givers at the Meridian Rehabilitation Center in Brick Township and her dear friend, Phyllis Osmonson. In accordance with her request, in lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Dominican Nuns, 543 Springfield Avenue, Summit, New Jersey 07901.