Jewel Iona Rice

Jewel Iona Thomas Rice was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma, November 28, 1926, the youngest child of Marion Thomas and Mittie Young Thomas.  Her dad moved the family to Fredrick, Oklahoma after the death of her mother when Jewel was eight years old.  She attended elementary school and graduated high school there. 

Jewel met and married Eugene Rice and to this union one son was born, Gregory Wayne. Because Eugene was in the US Air Force, they have lived in many places in the world including Turkey and Japan as well as the United States. While overseas Jewel worked at an international ticket agency and obtained her Bachelor of Education & Master of Business Administration degrees.

Jewel lived in Los Angeles California where she was an active member of the Greater New Bethel Baptist Church. She raised a “granddaughter”, Kefu “Shaunto” Wilson whom she loved as her very own.  While in Los Angeles, Jewel was a travel insurance contractor in LAX for Tele Trip a subsidiary of Mutual of Omaha for over 10 years.  After retirement Jewel and Kefu “Shaunto” moved to Sacramento California. Upon arrival she became an active member of the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church where she served as Deaconess and in many other auxiliaries.

Jewel was very tenacious and accomplished much in her life.  It was with that tenacity that at age 92 she decided to move back home. So, her friends helped her pack and her granddaughter, Kefu  “Shaunto”, moved her back to Ardmore, Oklahoma after 85 years. Being a woman of faith and not wanting to be without a church home, she was received by letter from the Shiloh Baptist Church in Sacramento California to Corinth Baptist Church.

Jewel was called from labor to sweet rest Friday, February 26, 2021. She is preceded in death by her parents, son, Gregory; brother, Robert Lee; and sisters Doris Taylor and Grace Herd.

She leaves to forever cherish her memory, her “granddaughter” Kefu “Shaunto”, Georgia; nephew, Marion Lee Thomas, Ardmore; Daughter-in-law, Marcia Rice, Texas; great-nephew, Samuel Kaplin; great nieces, Keyana McKnight, Megan Thomas and Alisha Thomas; cousins, her Greater New Bethel,  Shiloh Baptist, Genesis Missionary Baptist church families as well has her Corinth Baptist Church family.

Home going service for Jewel will be Saturday, March 6, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. in the Centennial Chapel of Harvey-Douglas Funeral Home with Reverend Abraham Walton officiating.  Burial will follow at Clearview Cemetery.  Services will be streamed live on the funeral home Facebook page.

Services are under the direction of Harvey-Douglas Funeral Home and Crematory where online condolences for the family may be left at www.hdouglasfuneralhome.com.