Elice Rietz Pierce's Obituary
Elice Rietz Pierce
Beloved Mother and Sister, Cherished Friend
Elice Rietz was born August 19th, 1944 in Jersey City, New Jersey. She was the second child for her father Albert Rietz and mother Anna Ericson, both of whom immigrated to the United States from Europe. Elice and her older brother Edward Rietz grew up as first generation Americans together in Palisades Park New Jersey before moving to Dunedin Florida when Elice was in middle school. Elice met and fell in love with a young man named Michael Touchton she met while working in Field’s Department Store in Largo. After High School Elice attended and graduated from St Pete Junior College with an Associate’s Degree. She and Michael were wed in April of 1965 and would later have a son, Marshall Keith Touchton, in February of 1970. Michael and Elice were later divorced and she remarried Paul Pierce in October of 1974. Paul brought three children of his own into their marriage, Amber, Paula and Penny Pierce. Elice and her son lived together with Paul and his daughters on Woodruff Avenue in Clearwater. Paul and Elice separated in 1985, and Elice transitioned from working as a part time Dental Assistant for Frank Lombardi to a full time position with the Pinellas County Sherriff’s Department as a Classification Specialist at the Pinellas County Jail. She retired after 26 years of service in 2011, still living in the same house. Elice had many hobbies and close friends that shared her interest. She loved stamping, paper craft and beading and turned her son’s old bedroom into a crafting room where she and her friends would make cards, bracelets and necklaces. She is survived by her son Marshall Touchton and his wife Diana, her brother Edward and his wife Janet; grandchildren, Getti Lee Striba and Chris Striba and great-grandchildren, Aiden, Ashton, and Lilyann; her nephew and niece Ryan and Julie Rietz, her grandnephew Edward Zeppelin Scott Rietz and grandnieces Elizabeth Rietz and Presley Rylan Rietz. I would like to request that donations be made to the charity of choice in Mom's name in lieu of flowers. She was kind and generous, and I think it would be nice if some greater good came of people gathering to say goodbye to her.
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