Mary Elizabeth Cox Rice

Loved All Deeply

Mary Elizabeth Cox Rice, 85, of Avon Park, Fla., previously of Presque Isle, Maine, died March 18 at St Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport. She was the widow of Howard Pottle Rice. She was born in Perry, Maine, on October 28, 1922, a daughter of Edward and Susan Cox.

She is survived by her loving family, her son Robert Rice and his wife, Cindy, of Sandy Hook; her grandchildren and their spouses, Mark and Stephanie Rice, Lori Rice-Spring and her husband Soren, Wendy and Joseph DeDonato, Elizabeth Rice, Christian Rice, Carie and Richard Turk, and Scott and Tina Coleman; and 11 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her two sisters, Dorothea O’Neil of Calais, Maine, and Edwina DiCenzo of Alexandria, Maine; brother-in-law Holman Rice and his wife, Frances; and sisters-in-law Ruth Morgrage and Patricia Cox. In addition her beloved husband, she was predeceased by her son Howard and brothers Alan Cox and Lloyd Cox.

 Mrs Rice was a retired certified nurses assistant in the nursing home industry. She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Avon Park, Fla. She was the secretary of the United Methodist Woman for eight years, chairperson of her circle (#1) of the United Methodist Women, member of the Church Missions Committee, weekly volunteer at the Church Service Center, financial secretary of the First United Methodist Church for eight years, and secretary/treasurer of the “Welcome” Adult Sunday School Class for 12 years.

With her church she was an active participant in the hosting of 975 volunteers who served the community in hurricane relief. She was also the oldest member of two disaster work teams to the Gulf Coast, one to New Orleans and another to Picayune, Miss. As the eldest of all volunteers she was well known to outwork her much younger coworkers with love and pride. She was one who truly loved others deeply with God’s love and always had a smile to share. She was a blessing to all who knew her.

A service in her memory will take place Saturday, March 29, at 10 am, at the Newtown United Methodist Church, 92 Church Hill Road, Newtown, with the Reverend Terry Pfeiffer officiating and the Reverend Robert Thorn of Florida delivering the eulogy. Burial will take place in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Winterport, Maine, in the late spring. There will be no prior visiting hours.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Dennis & D’Arcy Funeral Home, Stratford.

The Newtown Bee        March 28, 2008