Click here to view the Video Tribute for Lauretta Dr. S. Lauretta Pierce, age 78, of 106 Gap Street, Valley View, passed away Sunday, November 1, 2009 at Mount Nittany Medical Center, State College. She was born on Tuesday, June 30, 1931 in Harrisburg, a daughter of the late Alben C Pierce, Sr and the late Mary Oneida (Wallace) Pierce. A 1949 graduate of William Penn High School, Harrisburg; the Polyclinic School of Nursing, Harrisburg with an RN diploma; where she served as an assistant nursing instructor for several years. She then moved on to teach the diploma program at Wilmington General Hospital in Delaware. Returning to Harrisburg and worked as a Program Director at the Pennsylvania Nurses Association before earning a B.S. degree in Nursing Education from Temple University. She then joined the Continuing Education Department with the Penn State University teaching at Pottstown, Pottsville, and Ashland Schools of Nursing. After several years she enrolled at Thomas Jefferson Medical College and earned a PhD in Physiology. While working on her dissertation, she was on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania Nursing School. Lauretta returned to the Harrisburg area to teach Nursing at Penn State Hershey in the Bachelor and Masters programs. While there, she was instrumental in writing the Master's program for Nurse Practitioners. Moving on, she took a position in the Bloomsburg University Nursing School, where she wrote the Bachelor and Masters Syllabus. During her tenure there, she served as Dean of Nursing and was instrumental in getting National Accreditation for the Department. She retired in 1991 having reached a full professorship. After retirement she volunteered as the nurse for St. Andrew's United Methodist Church, Valley View, as an ambulance EMT, a Red Cross volunteer for the county blood banks, and headed a committee which prevented the incinerator for medical waste to be built on top of Bear Mountain. Lauretta was a member of St. Andrew's United Methodist Church, Valley View; where she was active in Sunday school and Vacation Bible School. She was also a member of the National and Pennsylvania Nurses Association. Lauretta is survived by a twin sister, Annetta Pierce of State College; a brother, Carl Richard Pierce, Sr of Harrisburg; a good friend, Anna Zerbe of Valley View; and several nieces and nephews. Services were held at St. Andrew's United Methodist Church, Valley View, on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 11 a.m. with Rev. Philip Sabas officiating. A viewing was held from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday at the church. Burial was made in St. Andrew's Cemetery, Valley View. Memorial contributions can be made to St. Andrew's United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 221, Valley View PA 17983 or to the American Cancer Society, 16 N 4th St Minersville, PA 17954. Buffington-Reed Funeral Home, Valley View, was in charge of arrangements. Condolences can be left for the family at www.buffingtonreed.com .