WAVERLY — Janat Coleen Rice died Sunday, May 8, 2022, at Sunset Manor, Waverly. She was 89.
She was born Jan. 22, 1933, near Melvern, the daughter of Lloyd and Mary (Burns) Fanning. She grew up around Melvern, graduating from Melvern High School, and had lived on the farm northwest of Melvern since 1955. In 2020, she moved to Sunset Manor.
Coleen was united in marriage to Raymond Rice Dec. 24, 1950, in Melvern. To this union six children were born, Steve, Rhonda, Randy, Nancy, Jerry and Danny.
She worked at Hilltop Nursing Home as a nurse’s aide before attending nursing school for LPN training. She then worked at St. Francis Hospital for a couple of years before returning to Hilltop as an LPN, where she worked until her retirement.
Coleen was a member of the Melvern United Methodist Church, teaching Sunday School and Bible School, and was a member of the United Methodist Women, helping with Penny Suppers and Bazaars. She was also involved in HDU and was the 4-H Food Superintendent.
She was a beautiful, kind person and a loving mother and grandmother. She enjoyed baking and will always be remembered for her “grandma rolls” and pies. Her hobbies included reading and researching family genealogy. Most of all, she loved her family and was dearly loved by them.
Coleen was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond, Aug. 3, 1997; her son, Randy; a grandson, Jacob Knoernschild, in 1981; her parents; and her brothers.
She is survived by five children, Steve Rice (Debbie), Melvern, Rhonda Knoernschild (Bob), Lyndon, Nancy Carselowey (Bruce), Rock, Jerry Rice (Pam), Waverly, and Danny Rice (Terry), Waverly; her sister, JoAnn Arb, Melvern; 16 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Memorial services will be 3 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at Feltner Funeral Chapel, Lyndon. The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. until service time. Private family inurnment will be in the Melvern Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Johnson Cancer Research Center (Kansas State University) and sent in care of Feltner Funeral Home, 818 Topeka Ave., Lyndon, KS 66451.
Condolences may be left at FeltnerFuneralHome.com.
