January 7, 1915 - January 2, 2008
Viola Ruth Rice, 92, of Broadwater, died early Wednesday morning, January 2, 2008 at the Highland Park Care Center at Alliance. Her Funeral will be Tuesday, January 8 at 10:30 A.M. at the Messiah Lutheran Church at Broadwater with Ann Bairn, P.M.A. officiating. Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery at Broadwater. A Memorial has been established to the Rose Hill Cemetery. Friends may call at the Jolliffe Funeral Home at Bridgeport, Monday, Jan. 7 from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Ruth was born January 7, 1915 at Broadwater, the daughter of Wilbert and Birdie (Stephens) Browning. She was raised and educated at Broadwater, graduating from the Broadwater High School with the Class of 1933. She was united in marriage to Eddie Rice, Sept. 22, 1933 and they celebrated their 60th anniversary in 1993. They lived in the Nebraska Sandhills from 1933 to 1938 and then north of Lisco for 9 years. In 1947, they moved to Broadwater. She worked in various cafes before owning and operating her own café. She also took the Agriculture and Population census. Ruth was the secretary/treasurer for the Beerline Ditch District and the Rose Hill Cemetery from 1973 to 2003. She and Eddie also were the caretakers at the cemetery for many years, with Ruth continuing after Eddie’s death. She was instrumental in the cemetery becoming a district cemetery to allow for additional tax dollars in supporting the cemetery. After Eddie’s death in 1993, she continued to live at the home place until Sept. 1993. She then moved to the Sandhills Assisted Living Center at Alliance until moving to the Highland Park Care Center in Oct. of 2007.
She was a member of the Church and the Sunshine Club. Ruth enjoyed crotcheting, knitting, playing cards and visiting with her many friends.
Survivors include her son Herschell Rice and wife Lyla of Ashby, NE., foster son Larry Myers and wife Cheryl of Alliance, nephew who made his home with the Rice’s Don Rice and wife Doreen of Broadwater, 4 grandchildren , 4 great grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, extended relatives and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, granddaughter Kathy Berch, great grandson John Ed Berch and brother Oliver.