Nancy Rebecca (Mason) Rice

 Nancy Mason Rice of Phenix City, Alabama, died peacefully on Wednesday, December 25, 2018 at Emory University Hospital. 

 Mrs. Rice was born on May 28, 1928, the daughter of Charles Oscar Mason, Sr. and Julia Austin Mason.  She married the Reverend Herbert William Rice, Jr. in 1950 at Pine Hill Methodist Church in Pine Hill, Alabama. Reverend Rice died on November 26, 1975 while he was pastor of Hillside United Methodist Church in Phenix City, Alabama. 

 Mrs. Rice was educated in the Wilcox County School System in Pine Hill, Alabama.  She graduated from Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology.  She continued her education at Troy State University and graduated with a Masters of Secondary Education Degree.  Mrs. Rice stayed at home for many years as a homemaker, educating and taking care of her three children. Thereafter, she was a dedicated public school teacher and Sunday school teacher in a number of the communities where her husband was appointed by the Methodist Church.  After her husband’s death, she taught for many years in the Phenix City School System. After Mrs. Rice retired from teaching in 1988, she worked a number of years as a Methodist Church administrator.  She was a dedicated member of the Wynton United Methodist Church in Columbus, Georgia.

 Mrs. Rice had many important accomplishments in her life, but she regarded her children as her most important accomplishment. After her husband’s death, she raised and supported the two children that were still at home in addition to providing love and assistance to her oldest son, who was in graduate school.  Perhaps more importantly, she lovingly nurtured her children and their families for the rest of her life.  Mrs. Rice is survived by her three sons and their wives:  Bill and Ansley Rice, John and Sara Rice, and Dan and Kendra Rice.  She is also survived by four grandchildren: Will Rice, Matt Rice, Trevor Rice, and Caleb Rice.  In addition, she has two great grandchildren:  William Dozier Rice and Anne Ryan Rice.   

 A memorial service will be held on January 20th, 2019 at 2:30 PM at Wynnton United Methodist Church, 2412 Wynnton Rd, Columbus, GA.  Her ashes will be laid to rest alongside her husband on January 21st, 2019 at 2:00 PM (EST) at Prattville Memory Gardens, 841 Fairview Ave, Prattville, AL.

 In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Nancy Rice’s name to the American Heart Association (www.heart.org).

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