- Date Of Birth: August 28, 1931
- Date Of Death: January 23, 2015
- State: Illinois
Joan Estes Rice, 83, a longtime resident of Jacksonville, died Friday, Jan, 23, 2015, at the home of her daughter in Anchorage, Alaska.
She was born Aug. 28, 1931, in Rushville, the second daughter of Truman and Elizabeth A. Illman Estes. She married Lloyd G. Rice on August 7, 1949, at the Mt. Zion Methodist Church in rural Rushville, and he preceded her in death on Feb. 9, 1994.
She is survived by four daughters and one son, Joyce Irene (David) Ambler of Cambria, Mary Lou (Gene) Ward of Jacksonville, Stephen Lloyd Rice of Anchorage, AK, Alice Joan Thomas of Jacksonville; and Janice Louise Mansfield of Anchorage, AK; 14 grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; eight step-great grandchildren; two sisters, Doris Irene (Eldon) Vaughn and Betty Lou (Larry) Paisley; one brother-in-law, Russel Cunningham, all of Rushville; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Mary Frances Cunningham; sons-in-law, Larry Thomas and William Mansfield; and a great grandson, Adam Rice.
Joan graduated from Rushville High School in 1949. She worked at Dennis Chicken Plant in Augusta for six years and then at Mobil Chemical in Jacksonville for 21 years, retiring in 1986. Joan and her husband were foster parents for ten years and cared for many children, from one day old to 16 years old. Lloyd and Joan loved a special handicapped child, Robert, and felt blessed to have him for four years.
Joan was a longtime member of Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church in Jacksonville. While living in Cambria, she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Carterville, and attended the First Baptist Church in Anchorage during annual summer visits and after moving there in 2011.
Joan was passionate about her family and friends and greatly enjoyed spending time with them. She had a special bond with each grandchild. She loved to cook and was famous for her noodles, apple pie, homemade ice cream, cake and dip. She enjoyed fancy work and quilting, and shared her creations with family and friends. She also liked tending to her flower garden.
