Vickie Jean RICE

RICE, Vickie Jean

Vickie J. Rice, age 55, of Manchester, passed away peacefully after a sudden illness on Thursday, (August 12, 2011) at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, surrounded by family. Vickie was born on July 15, 1956 in Mason City, Iowa, the daughter of Claude and Alice (Espevold) Angell. She was raised in Portage Wisconsin and graduated from Portage High School in 1974. Vickie was married on September 23, 1990 to Kevin C. Rice, her husband for 20 years. She was a substitute teacher at the former Cedar Court Catholic School, West Hartford and the Bowers Elementary School, Manchester. Vickie helped establish the library at the Cedar Court School, and she taught religious education at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Storrs. Recently Vickie was a full time student at Manchester Community College where she completely immersed herself in the learning process. She was an avid sports fan; she loved to attend games, and she closely followed her Wisconsin and New England teams on radio and TV. Vickie had a thirst for learning and she always kept her mind active. She was a voracious reader, crossword puzzle solver, and card and board game player. Vickie enjoyed being outdoors, and she coveted her trips to the family camp on Mascoma Lake in Enfield, New Hampshire, and the family condominium on Marco Island, Florida. Some of Vickie's fondest memories included weekend trips taken during inclement weather. She derived tremendous satisfaction from helping others and making them feel good; she volunteered to help teachers and school administrators with tasks and projects, was a frequent sender of greeting cards with warm messages, and she regularly praised people she didn't know - about their actions, appearance, or military service. Vickie was a devoted mother and grandmother. She is survived by her children Megan Oliver, Holmen, WI, and Ethan Rice, Manchester, CT; her grandson Drew Oliver, Holmen, WI; her sisters Diane (Ron) Woodard, Portage, WI, Susan (Michael) Lake, Sun Prairie, WI, Ann (Mark) Schoen, Madison, WI; her brother David Angell, Portage, WI; her father and mother in law Michael and Carol Rice, Mansfield Center, CT; her brother and sister in laws Brian and Tracy Rice, Manchester, CT, Karen and Marc Brimley, Chelmsford, MA; and many nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents. The family extends its sincere thanks to the many outstanding doctors and nurses at the St. Francis Hospital Cardiac ICU, whose compassion and technical skills are truly exceptional. Funeral services will be Wednesday, August 17, 2011, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel 46 North Eagleville Road Storrs, CT 06268. Burial will follow in Storrs Cemetery.
Family and friends may call Tuesday, Aug. 16th, from 5-8 p.m. at Watkins Funeral Home 142 East Center St. Manchester. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Vickie's memory to, Debra Of America 16 E 41st St. Floor 3 New York, NY 10017-6217. To sign the online guest book please visit www.holmes-watkinsfuneralhomes.com