Martha E Rice

Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Riley Funeral Home. Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church with burial to follow in Center Valley Cemetery.

Mrs. Rice was born either July 14 or July 16, 1936, in Pottsville, Hamilton County, the daughter of Martin E. and Eula V. Foller Oustad.

She graduated from Hamilton High School in 1954 and was married to James William Rice Jr. that summer.

James was in the army, so they lived in Panama and Virginia before settling in Hammond, Louisiana, where he taught at Southeastern Louisiana University, and she was secretary to the special education department there.

After their children were grown, she became a special education teacher, graduating from Tarleton State University in 1982 and later earning her master’s degree in psychology, also from Tarleton. She taught at Hico and Dublin schools and was principal at Natalbany Baptist Christian School in Natalbany, Louisiana, for two years.

After returning to Hico, the Rices owned Rice Studio downtown for many years where they sold his books and art-work and she had a framing business and crafted beautiful porcelain dolls.

She loved being outdoors, growing flowers, spending time with her family and making people feel special.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, James Rice; siblings Jake, M.E., Tom and Billy Oustad and Lillian Sheard, Ruby Byrd, Jewel Lucas and Margaret McCarty; and son-in-law Jamie Weaver.

Survivors include her children Zel Rice of Tickfaw, Louisiana, Maria Weaver of Hamilton, Lyn Rice and wife Connie of Zephyr, Patti Glen and husband David of South Korea and Jason Rice of Hammond; brother Larry Oustad and wife Jimmie Lou of Arlington; grandchildren Rhonda Hatfield and husband Nathan, Amanda Bundick and husband Heath, Tim Weaver, Tamera Ryan, Brian Rice and wife Kasi, Ryan Rice and wife Brittany, Crystal Bellows and husband Ethan, Ashleigh Glen and husband Garett Harrington, Natalie Glen, Ethan Glen and wife Michelle, Stephen Glen, Marlee Rice and Jameson Rice; great-grandchildren Alexa, Matthew, Mackenzie, Ashlyn, Skyler, A.J., Bosten, Brody, Lucy, Jackson, Alivia, Joshua, Owen and Rosemarie; and many nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Alyssa, Amber, Araina, Lindsay, Lisa, Nicole and Rosa from Rocking Chair Ranch and grandsons Brian Rice, Jameson Rice and Tim Weaver.

Memorials may be made to Rocking Chair Ranch, 510 CR 317, Jonesboro, 76538, or Hamilton Public Library.