Fleeta Mae Rice

Fleeta Mae Rice of 1700 Park, Beatrice, NE., died at the Park View Center on Tuesday, June 16, 1987 at the age of 98 years, 1 month and 23 days.

She was born April 24, 1889 in Shelby County, Missouri to Thomas and Annie Turner Herbst. She was baptized in the Christian Church, Shelbyville, MO., in 1905. On August 21, 1910 she married John Will Rice. They lived many years in Fairbury, NE. John was a barber. She was an expert seamstress and sewed and altered clothes for many people. She worked in the dining room of the Beatrice State Home for 10 years after moving to Beatrice in 1953.

She was preceded in death by her husband in October, 1951, her parents, brother W.D. Herbst, and sisters, Leona Forman and Lola. Survivors include two sons, William Millard of Beatrice, NE. and Francis Junior of Fairbury, NE. Five grandchildren Diane Ruyle of Bloomfield, IA., Barbara Bedlan and Kathy Heitman of Fairbury, NE. and Jane Loseth and Jim Rice of Lincoln, NE. Also, eight great-grandchildren Rochelle and Heather Ruyle, David and Sarah Bedlan, Holly Melcher, Nicholas Heitman and Abbie and Annie Rice.

Funeral services were Friday, June 19, 1987 at Harmon Mortuary with Rev. Hughes B. Morris officiating. She was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church in Beatrice, NE. Burial was in the Fairbury Cemetery. Pallbearers were Donald Ruyle, Larry Bedlan, David Bedlan, Jim Rice, Scott Heitman and Bill Sell.