Frances Rice

1929 - 2023

Our Mom was born in Massachusetts. She was the second child, and her sister Lorraine was 8 years older. Her family came from Canada, and all were fluent in French. Their background was farming, which meant Henri could do many things. During the Great Depression he supported his family through ice-block cutting, factory work, construction, and mainly blacksmithing.

Frances had pleasant childhood memories of her father as a celebrity in their neighborhood. She remembered kids gathering on the driveway at the house her father built, and they would watch the sparks fly when Henri had the hammer and anvil going full blast as he made horseshoes. His nickname for his pretty, young daughter was “My Little Cabbage” in French: 'Mon Petit Chou'.

Frances was 16 when World War II ended, and she had already worked at three part-time jobs, starting at the age of 12 steaming felt hats at Miss Quevillon’s Millinerie, then a translator, then a theater snack bar attendant. In 1945 her family moved to San Francisco, California, where there was plenty of government employment. During the cross-country trek following Route 66 she felt the excitement and adventure of travel, and that feeling stayed with her for the rest of her life. Once in California, Frances was a very busy teenager balancing school, work, and social life. She loved roller skating and dancing, and riding horses through the hills around the bay area where she and her gal pals would sing a popular song: “I’ve got spurs that jingle jangle jingle, as I go riding merrily along, and they sing ‘Oh, ain’t you glad you’re single?’ And that song ain’t so very far from wrong.” A year after Frances graduated from High School, she was in training to be an X-ray technician when she met Dann Rice at the wedding of mutual friends. In storybook fashion, their eyes locked from across the room, and Bam! that was it. Dick was a WWII Navy Veteran - smart, goal oriented, and focused on earning a degree in mechanical engineering. He was tall and handsome, with wavy blond hair and blue eyes. They made a very nice couple. Five years later they were married with 2 ½ kids, and moving to southern California, where Dick had accepted a job. The young Rice family bought a house-on-a-corner and settled in, and eventually included five children. Dick, who was skilled in construction, added on to the house and garage for his growing family.

Frances was an energetic stay-at-home mom who did everything for her family. She was also involved with school activities and social events, and we rarely saw her sitting still. For the next 16 years, we lived the family life together. We went on camping vacations, hiking, fishing, hunting, mountain trail climbing, visiting historical landmarks and museums along the way. We had scout troops, sports teams, school dances, lessons in riding, swimming, dancing, summer beach parties, and more. In addition to this, Frances was attending college to earn a teaching credential. All the while, her first-born child, daughter Toni, was there for her mom – patiently helping with the younger siblings from the time she was three years old. But nothing lasts. In a very sad twist of fate, Frances was widowed at the age of 40 when Dick had a fatal heart attack. She carried on, through grief and shock, and continued raising her 5 kids alone. She depended on Toni even more after that. Over the next 25 years Fran worked as a speech therapist in special education. She enjoyed the work, and made some lifelong friendships. She learned to sail, and she still loved to dance, so she did one or the other at every opportunity. Being a teacher allowed her to travel in the summertime, and she looked forward to sharing her adventures and foreign recipes with her students every September.

Following retirement, Fran moved back to the San Francisco Bay area to care for her mother and her sister Lorraine who were both ill, and she stayed there for another 10 years. She sailed many miles in and around San Francisco Bay with her friend Parky on his boat Wind Gypsy, and they made lots of friends at the Oyster Point Yacht Club. It was an active and happy time in her life. Fran volunteered with the Millbrae Police Department and San Mateo City Ombudsman. She also worked in the San Mateo High School District as a substitute teacher in French, English, Spanish, ESL, and History during those years, and she continued to travel the world with various family, friends, and organizations.

At the age of 75 Fran relocated to San Luis Obispo County to be closer to family during her golden years. She bought a lovely house-on-a-corner that could welcome a crowd, and spent lots of time entertaining, hosting family gatherings, visits from old friends, and many summers mentoring international exchange students from Norway, Spain, Italy, China, Sweden, and Hungary. She was still taking trips throughout the USA and Europe/Asia well into her 80’s, for a lifetime total of 17 foreign countries. She joined the Retired Teachers Association, The Estero Ham Radio Club and The French Club. She volunteered with Arroyo Grande Police Department, SLO City Ombudsman, California Welcome Center, and South County Historical Society. Mom began to slow down in her 90’s and accepted it gracefully by using the internet, phone, mail, and TV to keep in touch with the outside world. One day she started talking in her sleep and speaking in French. Then, a week before her 94th birthday Mom passed away peacefully in her bed at home, with a daughter at her side. We lost a loving mother and grandmother. She did her best to offer emotional support and financial assistance when needed. She also made a college education available for any of her grandchildren who desired it - with no strings attached. We will always love, respect, and appreciate her. Frances loved and encouraged her 5 children: Toni, Sharon, Judy, Paul, Kevin – her 5 grandchildren: Richard, April, Dana, Alaura, Garrett – her Great Grandson, Nathan – her nieces: Jewel, Sue, Pamela – her nephews: Douglas, Dale, and her dear cousin Richard in Massachusetts. Plus, she had many other French-Canadian relatives on the east coast and Canada that she kept in touch with throughout her busy life, and she remained a faithful pen pal to her high school classmates and international friends from around the world.

Mom was preceded in death by her husband, parents, sister, and a niece. Her beloved daughter Toni had passed away just 3 months earlier. May they rest in peace and love. We miss Mom and Toni very much, but there is some comfort in knowing they are together.

"BECAUSE SOMEONE WE LOVE IS IN HEAVEN, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN IN OUR HOME.”