Janet "Jan" Kay Rice

Janet "Jan" K. Rice of Onondaga, Michigan passed away on Friday, May 24, 2024, at the age of 72 after a short illness. She is survived by her children, Lori (Joel) Fell of Mason, Michigan and Gregory Rice of Birmingham, Michigan; her former spouse and father of the children, Leo Rice of Onondaga, Michigan; her granddaughter, Madison Snow and her fiancé Nash Roberts of Perry, Michigan; and her brother, Michael (Roxanne) Ousley of Harrison, Michigan; as well as nieces, nephews, loving family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Wilma Ousley, and her other siblings, Shirley Hablitzel, Virgil Jr., James Ousley, Richard Ousley, and Virginia Gawron.

Jan was born on December 26, 1951, in Stockbridge, Michigan and graduated from Leslie High School in 1970. She met Leo Rice that year in Leslie, Michigan and the two married that same year on his birthday. Jan and Leo remained close together with their family even after divorcing, and Leo provided thoughtful support and comfort to the rest of the family during the past few months of Jan’s illness. Leo continues to care for Jan’s beloved shitzu, Jazz.

Jan had two main “jobs” in her life. First, professionally she spent many years working at Polly’s in Jackson, Michigan as a Manager of the Produce Department. While she thoroughly enjoyed her work there, her most coveted and second role was in the later part of her life spent as the loving grandmother to her only grandchild, Madison. Jan also “grandmotherly adopted” two childhood friends of Madison, Jacob and Caleb Silsby, as part of her extended family and enjoyed caring for them too through much of their childhood. During Madison’s early childhood years, Jan was affectionately renamed Mammie, first by Madison, Jacob and Caleb, and then by other members of the family and friends (or more formally as Mammie Rice for those who did not know her as well!) Even Jan’s personalized license plate on her car had been “MAMMIE” for several years.

Jan enjoyed spending time in her yard, doing annual flower plantings and taking care of the greenery, as well as working during the annual maple syrup season a few months per year at Madison’s family’s farm restaurant, Snow’s Sugarbus in Mason, Michigan. She was also an avid scrap book enthusiast using the hobby to chronicle much of her family’s life during Madison’s upbringing. And, in the winter months, she occasionally enjoyed visiting the Soaring Eagle in Mt. Pleasant with her sister and friends. As long as she was with family, she was happy!

According to Jan’s wishes, cremation will take place and there will be a Memorial Service held for her at Burden & Patience-Montgomery Funeral Home on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at 12:00 P.M. The family will receive friends for visitation from 11:00 A.M. until the time of service. Please honor Jan on the day of her service and consider wearing something Red, as it was her favorite color, and she would have enjoyed it as a celebration of her life.