He was born June 19, 1942, at Arma to Frank and Lucille (Vezzetti) Varsolona. He grew up in Arma and graduated from high school there in 1960. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Pittsburg State University.
He married Jeryl L. Brown on July 30, 1966, at Tuscon, Ariz. She survives of the home.
From 1965 to 1977, he was a teacher and administrator at the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind at Tuscon. From 1977 to 1997, he owned and operated Varsolona Family Tree Garden Center at Cottonwood, Ariz. Later, for several years, he was employed by Griffith Enterprises at Cottonwood. In 2004, he retired to Galesburg.
He was a member of Galesburg United Methodist Church and of the Lions clubs in Cottonwood, Ariz., and in Parsons. He had been awarded the Melvin Jones Fellowship for his involvement in the work of Lions clubs. His hobbies included woodworking, hunting and fishing and traveling.
Other survivors include a brother, Robert Varsolona of Galesburg; and a niece, Emalee Mikel and her husband, Mark, of Parsons.
The service will be at 3 p.m. today at Galesburg United Methodist Church with the Rev. Ralph Peters officiating.
Memorials are suggested to either Galesburg United Methodist Church or the Parsons Lions Club and may be left at or sent to Carson-Wall Funeral Home, P.O. Box 942, Parsons, 67357.
DeAuthor Pierce
DeAuthor Pierce, 69, of Parsons died at 8:35 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008, at Labette Health.
He was born March 13, 1939, in Humphrey, Ark., to Freddie Pierce Sr. and Georgia (Thompson) Pierce. As a young boy, he grew up in Arkansas and attended school there. Through most of his adult life, he worked in construction.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening and the outdoors. He was a very devoted family man who cared not only for his own children, but for the children of his extended family. He loved children, and children always reciprocated his love.
He married Clarence Etta Dansby in November 1964. They later divorced.
Survivors include four sons, Ronnie Pierce and his wife, Tamisha Gilmore-Pierce, of Aurora, Colo., Ernest Hickerson and his wife, Teri, of Topeka, Robert Hickerson of Elizabeth Town, Ky., and Demone Bell of Tulsa; two daughters, Marcia Martin of Atlanta, DeEtta Boganey of Commerce City, Colo.; four grandsons and seven granddaughters; four great-grandsons and two great-granddaughters; four brothers, Silas Goss of Pine Bluff, Ark., Ronald Pierce, Altrent Pierce, both of Dodge City, and Jo Dean Pierce of Salina; five sisters, Verneda Pierce of Bakersfield, Calif., Joyce Moffett, Janice Pierce, Linda Pfaff and LaJuan Phillips, all of Salina.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Freddie Pierce Jr.; and a sister, Marva Law.
The service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society and may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357.
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