Our beautiful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend, Joyce Talbot Rice passed away peacefully at her home on Friday morning November 1, 2024. She had lived a remarkable life and she now has graduated to be reunited with her husband, her family, and many friends. Joyce was born May 30, 1932 in Jackson, Idaho, a small farming community just outside of Rupert, Idaho. She was the 10th of 11 children born to Joseph and Rachel Talbot.
When Joyce was three years old the family moved to Stone, Idaho. They had no modern conveniences. There was no running water, no electricity, they had an outhouse, and their school bus was a bobsled or a horse ride! Her school house was a one room school house where all the grades were taught in the same room. Joyce grew up during the depression, however she remembers they always had plenty to eat because they lived on a farm. They did not have much in the way of monetary assets, but their home was filled with LOVE. Throughout her life her very best friends were her sisters.
Joyce moved to Clearfield when she was about 10 years old. It was World War 2 and her father began working in a munitions factory. When Joyce was a sophomore at Davis High School, on a pretty September afternoon, Davis High was playing West High in a Football game. Joyce was introduced to Robert L Rice and they began dating. They were married two years later on September 10, 1949. Joyce was 17 and still had one more year of high school to complete, Bob was 20. Their married life started out with a bank account of $75.00. They were able to spend 4 days in Lake Tahoe, pay for their gas and buy their first groceries with this money! The lessons that Joyce learned as she grew up through the depression stayed with her and helped her run her home. She was THRIFTY. She patched clothes to get extra wear out of them. She never threw away leftovers, and to this day she saves wrapping paper and ribbons to recycle.
Bob and Joyce always worked side by side to make their lives successful. Together they raised a family of six wonderful children. Scott, Bobbi, Jay, Ren, Mitch and Jill. They were very involved in the lives of their children. Joyce supported Bob in all of his business endeavors. They moved their family many times in the early years living in Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Houston before finally returning to Utah. While they were building a business, Bob also was serving in various church callings. Joyce was always the strength behind her husband. Quietly supportive and behind the scenes, but very much a partner in all decisions and the stabilizer at home. She was the Mother of the Holladay 16th ward, the Mother of the Mount Olympus Stake, and the Mother in her HOME.
Joyce Loved to make things around her beautiful. She had a beautiful home that she loved to share with others. She hosted many Bridal Showers, Utah Opera Dinners, University of Utah Sports Dinners, and all six of her children had beautiful receptions at The Rice Home.
She loved to garden, (except when she was afraid of the rattle snakes that lived in the Mt Olympus Cove.) She had beautiful geraniums, alyssum, and rhododendrons planted in her yard. She spent hours each summer weeding and planting. She hosted wonderful holiday parties for her family. Christmas Eve was always a highlight as well as the 4th of July. The grandchildren had free reign of the swimming pool all summer and they loved that! Joyce Loved to quilt! She has made over 100 quilts that have been given to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She has also made quilts as baby gifts for the special friends in her life.
Joyce and Bob were very generous. They supported many wonderful organizations and gave freely of their time and resources. Utah Opera, The University of Utah Athletics, the School of Music, The College of Nursing, the University Hospital, the Utah Symphony, Utah Youth Village, BYU Laie and Southern Virginia University to name a few.
Joyce received her Honorary Doctorate from the University of Utah in 2011. She loved to learn and was never able to attend college as a coed. This honor meant a lot to her. She and Bob were also given the Camerata award at the U of U School of music in recognition of their service.
Joyce always had a strong spiritual nature and was a very active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was her example that helped Bob to become active in the church. She lived her religion in the way she treated others, in the classy and modest way she dressed, in the service she rendered, and the love she extended. She was not afraid to talk to strangers about the gospel. She served faithfully in many church callings, but especially loved the calling as Primary President and working in the Baptistry at the temple.
The most important things in Joyces life were the people she loved. Her family and her friends. Each of her 29 grandchildren have had personal experiences with their Nana. During the past 18 months while she was homebound, her grandsons brought the sacrament to her each Sunday. They all have wonderful memories of trips to Lake Powell, where Nana and Papa spent the entire trip working! Either cooking, or cleaning, or washing windows. They were definitely trips of Love and Memory making. There were family cruises, trips to Hawaii, Colter Bay adventures, summer trips to Sun Valley and Phoenix in the springtime was always a highlight. Nana always loved to be with her family, and her family loved being with her. Nana was a great conversationalist and had a keen memory. Her grandchildren LOVED to talk and visit with her because she was an interested listener.
Following the death of her eternal companion on August 29, 2007, Joyce’s life changed. She had always arranged her schedule around Bob’s little black book and now her time was her own. We have been so proud of the way she was able to courageously learn to forge her own path. She has been out reaching, she has planned trips with her “Lexus Ladies”, and she has chaperoned her grandchildren on graduation trips to Hawaii! She has kept up to date on politics and she had strong opinions! Joyce has created lasting memories with all of her family members. She has truly lived a remarkable, full, rich life. The quote “The Joy in our life is not determined by the circumstances of our life, but rather the focus of our life” sums up how Joyce lived. She had many worldly blessings, but her focus was on her family, her community, and her relationship with her Heavenly Father.
Joyce is survived by her children: Scott (Lesli) Rice, Bobbi (Gerry) Green, Jay (Anita) Rice, Ren (Sandi) Rice, Mitch (Shannon) Rice, Jill (Stan) VanderToolen. Her 29 grandchildren and their spouses, and her 76 great-grandchildren. Also survived by her sister Nola Talbot Achby. She was preceded in death by her husband Robert L Rice, her parents Joseph and Rachel Talbot, 9 of her brothers and sisters, and her great-granddaughter Gwyneth Rice.
The Rice Family would like to express their love and gratitude to Tui Tuitupou and her helpers at Loyal Tui Homecare, and to Heidi Lawrence Woker and her team at Suncrest Hospice for the tender loving care they gave to our mother. She was treated with such respect and dignity.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, November 9th, 2024, at 11:00am at the Holladay 27th Ward building. 5450 South Holladay Boulevard. A viewing will be held that morning from 9:00 to10:30 AM, and also on Friday evening November 8th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the same location. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park. There will be a link available for streaming the services on the online obituary at Wasatchlawn.com.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the University of Utah College of Nursing, or the University of Utah School of Music.
