Marjorie E. Rice

1920 - 2016

Rice, Marjorie E.

Marge Rice, age 95, of Stevens Point, passed away on April 14 , 2016. at Brookdale Senior Living.

Marge was born in Blue Mound, Illinois on May 11, 1920 to the late Earle and Mitilda Blackburn. She attended Eastern Illinois University for a bachelors degree in Education. She met Orville Rice during college and they married and had four children. They moved to Stevens Point in 1956 when Orville became a professor of Mathematics at UWSP. They had both been raised on farms and they continued to maintain a large garden to supply food for the family.

Marge was very active in the Stevens Point community in many ways. She was a member of the North County Homemakers club for over fifty years. She demonstrated leadership by very effectively teaching a wide variety of topics, helped seniors at the Portage county home, baked cookies for the Christmas tea, maintained the scrap book, and brought up international events for discussions. She was someone you could count on. She was a cub scout leader and a 4-H leader during her time her children were of school age. She was a long standing member and treasure of the League of Women Voters.

As a faculty wife, she participated in the life of the UWSP community, hosting student events and students. She and her husband also hosted a Vietnamese family in their home. She was a member of University Women and served as a hostess for many of the Festival of Arts events. An important part of Marge's life revolved around activities within her church, St Paul's Methodist, where she served on the Lay Leaders Committee, chairwoman of her woman's circle and as President of St Paul's United Methodist Women. After her husband retired she was an attentive primary caregiver for him for many years.

Marge was creative which showed in her cursive hand writing, cake decorating, meal preparation, sewing, and beautiful watercolor paintings. She also loved to sing and play the piano.

She will be remembered for the twinkle in her eye, the smile on her face, and a kindness to others which showed in her supportive, accepting, loving behavior to all.

She was preceded in death by her brother Vernon and her husband Orville; and daughter-in-law Karen J. Rice.

She is survived by her children, Alan (Victoria) Rice of Littleton, Co, Paul (Tess) Rice of Stevens Point, WI, Karen (Natasha Dallin) Rice of Sebastopol, CA, and Karl Rice of Young America, MN; along with numerous grand children, great grandchildren and great great grand children.

A Memorial Service will be held 11:00 a.m., Saturday, May 7, 2016 at St Pauls United Methodist Church with Rev. Howard Hintzman officiating. Visitation will precede the service from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to St. Paul's United Methodist Church or Heifer International.

The family would like to thank the staff at Brookdale Senior Living and Heartland Hospice for their wonderful care that was given to Marge.