Laura Barbara Smith Rice

Mrs. Laura Barbara "Bobbie" Lester Smith Rice, 86,
of East Railroad Street, Bowman, entered into rest on
Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, at her residence.
Mrs. R ice was born i n the Nickville
Community of Elbert County on Nov. 19,
1936, the third of six children of late Henry
Lee Lester a nd M amie L ou S eymour
Lester. She was a graduate o f Bowman
High School and furthered her education
at Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College.
Bobbie was of the Baptist faith and a former member
of t he E lbert M emorial Hospital Auxiliary Pink
Ladies. She was an avid traveler and was passionate
about working in her vegetable and flower gardens.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death
by h er d aughter, A manda R ose Smith Todd; husbands,
Hugh Alexander Smith Sr. and Ralph Carlis
Rice Jr.; and siblings, Bill and Betty Lester, Betty and
Hoyt Carey, and Larry Lester.
Survivors include her son, Hugh A. Smith Jr. of
Bowman; son-in-law, Ricky Todd o f Elberton; son
Randy and Carol Rice of Elberton; daughter, Cindy
and Terry Pless of Elberton; son, Brannon and Kelli
Rice of Spartanburg; siblings, Nancie and Buddy Ruff
and Morris and Linda Lester, all of Dewy Rose; grandchildren,
Jandi Todd and Roy Herbert, Cody Pless,
Carley and Reid Holland, Trevan Rice, McKae Rice,
Brady Rice and LaCree Rice; and numerous nieces,
nephews and other relatives.
Funeral services celebrating Mrs. Rice's l ife were
held on Tuesday, Dec. 20 in the Memorial Chapel of
Berry Funeral Home with the Rev. Gary Purvis officiating.
I nterment f ollowed in Forest H ills Memorial
Park with Greg Ruff, Brad Ruff, Bentley Ruff, Kyle
Ruff, Stuart Lester and Peter Lester honored as pallbearers.
Contributions may be made in her memory to St.
Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Those wishing may s ign the online g uestbook a t
www.berryfh.com.
Berry Funeral Home & Crematory of Elberton is respectfully
in charge of arrangements for Mrs. Laura
Barbara "Bobbie" Lester Smith Rice.