Obituary of Annabell Bierbaum

Annabell (Ricard) Bierbaum, age 96 of Riley, passed into Jesus’ loving arms on December 17, 2021 in Clearwater. Annabell was born July 6, 1925 in Eskridge, the daughter of Joseph and Phoebe (Gano) Ricard. On September 5, 1943 she married John Bierbaum at the Ricard family home north of Barnes. He preceded her in death in 1999. Annabell was happiest when she was surrounded by the laughter of children. As the middle of nine children, Annabell would help with her younger siblings. At the age of 13, after graduating from 8th grade in Ballard Falls, KS, she started working as a mother’s helper and continued to babysit throughout her life. Annabell loved to read and shared that love of reading with her family and others by volunteering at both the Riley County Grade School in the reading program and the Riley City Library. During her life with John, Annabell was a farm hand’s wife in Minnesota and Iowa, worked in a canning factory in Minnesota, and cooked in both the Schutz Café and the Union Pacific Bus Depot in Manhattan. In 1972, John and Annabell moved to Riley and for the next 40 years, she tended to her yard full of flowers and vegetable garden during the spring and summer months. When Annabell was not outside she was cooking, crocheting, or quilting for her family and friends. Annabell was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Barnes and then later in her life transferred her membership to Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Manhattan. In addition to her husband, she is preceded in death by her parents and her eight brothers and sisters. She is survived by her son, Edward Bierbaum and wife Donna of Cottonwood, Arizona; daughter, Gayle Stockwell of Clearwater; grandchildren, Timothy Bierbaum and wife Pam of Shawano, Wisconsin, Tara Cork and husband Stephen of Madison, Wisconsin, Vanessa Coffelt of Bryan, TX, Susan Giefer and husband Jeffery of Haysville, and Joshua Stockwell and wife Rachael of Clearwater; great-grandchildren Nickoly Bierbaum, Fayth Bierbaum, Fiona Cork, Ian Cork, Haley Giefer, John Giefer, and Ava Taber; and a sister-in-law, Rosalie Bernasek. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 23, 2021 at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church with Pastor King Crawford officiating. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday at St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery, south of Barnes. Memorials have been established for Christ Lutheran Church and Alzheimer’s Association. Contributions may be left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home.