Mrs. Rice was a member of First Christian Church and the Bryson Extension Club. She was a farm wife and homemaker, sold Avon for a time, and worked at Fresh N Rich Ice Cream Shop in the State Fair Shopping Center. She graduated from La Monte High School. She was active in her children’s activities, enjoyed embroidering, and loved the covered bridge. She and her brother, Leonard, and her future husband, Jay, were baptized together in Muddy Creek in their youth.
Surviving are six children, Evelyn Hicks, of Sedalia, Nora Lou Lemens, and her husband, Bill, of Sedalia, Marvin J. Rice, and his wife, Jean, of Green Ridge, Melvin R. Rice, and his wife, Sandy, of Sedalia, Jenelle Berry, and her husband, John, of Sedalia, and Jayne Fletchall, and her husband, Earl, of Sedalia; nine grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; a great-great-granddaughter; and a brother, Leonard Yankee, of Sedalia.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Forrest Yankee and Lloyd Yankee; and a son-in-law, Jimmie Hicks.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 1, 2009, at Heckart Funeral Home, with the Rev. Gene Ekstrand officiating.
Casket bearers will be Bob Blaylock, Chad Lemens, Scotty Rice, John Rice Berry, Bradly Fletchall and Robbie J. Kreisler.
Honorary bearers will be Allen Dove, Earl Fletchall, John S. Berry and Bill Lemens.
Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 9:30 a.m. until service time Friday at Heckart Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions are suggested to March of Dimes or the Dream Factory.
Marjorie Evelyn Rice, 86, of Sedalia, passed away Wednesday, April 29, 2009, at Rest Haven Convalescent and Retirement Home.
She was born Nov. 12, 1922, near Manilla, in Pettis County, the daughter of James Franklin and Lenora Funk Yankee. On May 22, 1941, in La Monte, she married Jay F. Rice, who died Sept. 4, 1991.
