Elizabeth Loraine "Zib" Ballou

1924 - 2023  (99 years)

• Name	Elizabeth Loraine Ballou
  Relationship	with Peter Delva
  Birth	18 Apr 1924	Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts   [3, 4, 5]
  Census	1930 (5 years)	Greenfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts   [1]
  In the 1930 US Census she was recorded, age 5, living on 140 South Shelburne Road, Greenfield, Massachusetts with her parents.
  Census	1940 (15 years)	Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts
  In the 1940 US Census she was recorded, age 16, living on 383 East River Street, Orange, Massachusetts with her parents.
  Residence	1958 (33 years)	Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts   [6]
  Residence	2000 (75 years)	Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts
  Death	6 Jul 2023  [5]
  Obituary	10 Jul 2023 (99 years)  [5]
  ORANGE, MA - Elizabeth Lorraine (Ballou) Peirce, known to most everyone as "Zib," passed away on July 6th, 2023 while bravely battling old age. She was born on April 18, 1924, in Orange, MA, to parents Cecil and Mary (Richards) Ballou. She leaves behind her brother Richard Ballou, daughter Jane Peirce, son Peter Peirce, grandsons Michael Peirce and Ruslan Peirce, son-in-law Keith LaRiviere, daughter-in-law Jill Esterson, and a freezer containing a dozen pints of Häagen-Dazs Dulce De Leche ice cream which she absolutely had planned to finish. She is preceded in death by her husband Clifton Waldo Peirce (d. 1992,) sister Betty-Sue (Ballou) Pratt (d. 2018,) and brother Derrill Henry Ballou, (d. 2021.) Zib grew up in Orange, meeting her future husband Cliff in Leavitt's store, Orange, where both were employed while attending Orange High School. She attended North Adams Teachers College, and after graduation began her teaching career at Feeding Hills School in Springfield, MA. Zib and Cliff were married in 1947 after Cliff returned from WW2, and they started their family in 1952. Soon after, they began construction on a house barely a mile from the house where she was born, where they lived happily from that time on. In 1959 she and Cliff purchased a brand new VW Bug, and at the age of 35, Zib learned how to drive. In the early 60's, inspired by Lyndon Johnson's war on poverty, she founded the Head Start Kindergarten Program in Orange, with the Congregational church providing the classroom. She taught kindergarten at Dexter Park School in Orange from the mid 60's until she retired in 1987, able to recall every student she ever taught. She kept every class picture in a notebook, and followed her students progress into adulthood, saving clippings about them whenever they appeared in the news. Zib loved animals, and no stray animal that came to her door was turned away on an empty stomach. Civilizing cats, dogs, horses, donkeys, goats, rabbits, squirrels, skunks, foxes, and ill-behaved children was her special talent. She also tried to bend adults to her will, serving on committees for the town of Orange, local schools, Congregational Church, and Lake Mattawa Association, among many others. She knitted, quilted, collected dolls, enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, rode a bicycle, enjoyed the outdoors, was quick to help or offer support for any worthy project, and was particularly thrilled to be a grandmother. Active in the preservation of Quabbin town history since the 1960's, she served as volunteer, president, and/or curator at the Swift River Valley Historical Society well into her 90's, authoring several books on Quabbin history, including The Lost Towns of Quabbin Valley (2003,) Quabbin Valley: Life as It Was (2015,) and Quabbin Valley: People and Places (2006.) She was meticulous, sharp as a tack, had an encyclopedic knowledge of everything that happened in the last 200 years, a dry sense of humor, a deep appreciation for friends, family, animals, one particular flavor of ice cream, and enjoyed a good, long, life. She was one of a kind and to be loved by her was to be truly blessed. Calling hours are Friday, July 14th from 5-7 p.m. at Witty's Funeral Home, 158 S. Main St., Orange, MA. The funeral will be held in the Central Congregational Church, 93 South Main Street in Orange, on Saturday July 15 at 10am. Following interment at South Central Cemetery, refreshments will be served at the Congregational Church. Please consider wearing a mask, and stay healthy. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Swift River Valley Historical Society, PO Box 22, New Salem, MA 01355, or to the animal welfare organization of your choice. Published by Athol Daily News on Jul. 10, 2023.
  Burial	15 Jul 2023	South Cemetery, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts   [5]
  Siblings	2 brothers
  + 1. Derrill Henry Ballou,   b. 5 Apr 1923, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts d. 15 Jul 2021, Etna, Penobscot County, Maine  (Age 98 years) ▻ Sylvia Sault,  m. 07 Oct 1944 + 2. Elizabeth Loraine "Zib" Ballou,   b. 18 Apr 1924, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts d. 6 Jul 2023  (Age 99 years) ▻ Clifton Waldo Peirce,  m. 26 Jul 1947 + 3. Richard Cecil Ballou ▻ Sally Mae Dike,  m. 01 Oct 1960
  Person ID, Branch	I2355	Clan of Jonathan, Tribe of Sarah
  Last Modified	15 Jul 2023

  
  

  Father	Cecil Stiles "Bug" Ballou,   b. 20 Jun 1896, Wendell, Franklin County, Massachusetts d. 5 Jun 1952, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts (Age 55 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Mary Elizabeth Richards,   b. 7 Aug 1898, Warwick, Franklin County, Massachusetts d. 9 Jul 1976, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts (Age 77 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Marriage	28 Jun 1922	Leverett, Franklin County, Massachusetts
  Agency: Leverett Congregational Church
  Family ID	F1387	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Spouse / Partner	Clifton Waldo Peirce,   b. 26 Dec 1923, Prescott, Hampshire County, Massachusetts d. 10 May 1992, Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age 68 years)
  Marriage	26 Jul 1947	Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts   [3, 4, 7]
  Agency: Central Congregational Church
  Age at Marriage	Elizabeth was 23 years and 3 months old - Clifton was 23 years and 7 months old. (Were Married 44 years and 10 months).
  Children	1. Jane Mary Peirce + 2. Peter Richard Peirce
  Family ID	F1402	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	4 Jul 2014

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 18 Apr 1924 - Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts Census - 1930 - Greenfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts Census - 1940 - Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts Marriage - 26 Jul 1947 - Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts Residence - 1958 - Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts Residence - 2000 - Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts Burial - 15 Jul 2023 - South Cemetery, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos

  Elizabeth L. (Ballou) Peirce

  
  

• Sources

  [S509] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , (Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002), Year: 1930; Census Place: Greenfield, Franklin, Massachusetts; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 0011; FHL microfilm: 2340639. [S806] 1940 U.S. Federal Census, (Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012), Year: 1940; Census Place: Orange, Franklin, Massachusetts; Roll: m-t0627-01592; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 6-53. [S98] Pratt, Betty-Sue. Descendants of Charles Brigham, (Athol, Massachusetts: manuscript, 1997). [S189] Lint, A Ann. Descendants of Peter Delvee, (Willoughby, Ohio: mansuscript, 23 June 1999). [S1715] Obituary of Elizabeth Peirce , (Athol, Massachusetts: The Athol Daily News, 10 July 2023). [S846] U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, (Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011), Orange, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1958. [S214] , Ballou, Richard C. email: 2000-03-30, ( E-mail to Robert Roy, 30 March 2000).