Frances Smith Bice

FRANCES SMITH
BICE, 81

DUNDEE - Frances Smith Bice was born Frances Melita Smith on June 7, 1928 to Leon and Alma Smith in the small central Florida town of Dundee. Her father died before she was a year old, and she grew to know her step-father, Frank Golden, as "Daddy". Her step-father passed away in 1949, and the core of her family unit during her childhood was her mother Alma Golden, her older sister Elizabeth Smith, and her younger brothers Frank and Ray Golden. She became a member of the Dundee Baptist Temple as a little girl and remained so until after her marriage and move to Lake Wales.
During her secondary education years at Haines City High School she met and began a courtship with the man would become her life-long companion: William Thomas (Tom) Bice of Haines City. A 1946 graduate of Haines City High, she had a brief exposure to college life at the then-named Florida State College for Women, she followed a home-sick girl's heart and returned to Polk County; it would be her home for all of her life.
Fran and Tom Bice were married on September 22, 1950, and moved to their home just north of the Lake Wales city limits soon thereafter. Just as family and faith were the cornerstones of Frances' youth, so they were in her adult life. She accepted, relished and thrived on her choice of three simultaneous careers: wife, mother and homemaker. In 1952 she gave birth to her first son, Bill. Steve was born in 1954 and Lorin came along in 1957. A daughter, Ruth, completed the family in 1962.
She raised her family in the First Baptist Church of Lake Wales, and saw all of her children Baptized in that church. It is a place and community of believers that always held a special place in her heart. As empty nesters, she and Tom moved their membership to the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Wales and were active members of that body until health issues dictated otherwise.
She was passionate and devoted to her calling two callings in life: follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and wife and mother to her cherished family.
She was preceded in death by her father Leon and step-father Frank, her brother Leon who died in early childhood, her mother Alma who suffered the ravages of Alzheimer's, her brother Frank, and her sister Elizabeth.
She is survived by her husband of almost sixty years, Tom Bice and her four children: Bill (Darlene) Winter Haven, FL, Steve (Karen) Merritt Island, FL, Lorin, Winter Haven, FL, Ruth (Rob) Bearden, Madison, GA; brother, Ray (Jean) Golden, Dundee, FL; sisters-in law: Doris (Ralph) Stalnaker, Haines City, FL, Judy (Ed) Winchester, Haines City, Florida, thirteen grandchildren, one 18 month-old great granddaughter: Claire Abigail and many lifelong friends.
Frances Bice died at home in the early morning hours of December 1, 2009 from natural causes arising from Alzheimer's. She loved well and was well loved. For the last twenty years of her life she had two wishes that went wanting.
She wanted to see her mother - She wanted her children to come home for dinner ... and stay.
Today, in Paradise, she is with her mother, and her Master. No more Alzheimer's, no more arthritis, no more pain, no more sorrow.
One day, soon and very soon, she will gather her family at the wedding feast of the Lamb. We will all be home to stay.
Blessed be the Name of the Lord.
The family will receive friends from 5:00pm till 7:00pm, Thursday, December 3, 2009 at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, 2425 Havendale Boulevard, NW, Winter Haven. Funeral services will be at 11:00am, Friday, December 4, 2009 at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Wales, 16 North 3rd Street, Lake Wales, FL. Interment will follow at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Winter Haven. Condolences may be sent at
www.oakridgefuneralcare.com.