Ruth Agda Rice

Ruth Agda (Rice) Rice, born December 25, 1927 in Lansing, the daughter of the late George and Lillian (Winchell) Rice, passed away on April 2, 2017 at the age of 89, due to complications of a stroke. As a result of this unfortunate event, her sewing machine, needles and yarn sit idle. Ruth worked in the insurance industry before she was a mom and after her children were grown (Wolverine Insurance, Pohl Insurance Agency, John Hancock Insurance). She was a bright, creative, loving and giving person. She had a strong faith and was active in the churches she attended in Michigan and Florida. Her spiritual gifts were teaching and mercy which she used to the fullest. She taught children and youth Sunday School classes for many years and shared her love of quilting, knitting, and crocheting with others to craft thousands of lap quilts and hundreds of hats, scarves, and mittens that were distributed locally and around the world. She was a remarkable, giving woman who will be missed by many.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Donald L. Rice; sons Donald Robert Rice and Donald LeRoy Rice II; daughter Patricia G. Stoye; siblings William, Thomas, Robert and Edith Rice. Surviving to cherish her memory are daughters Susan (Roger) Adsit and Ruth Ann Griffin; and son William J. (Amy) Rice; nine grandchildren, Angela (Nabil) Kanazeh, Amanda (F. Javier) Garza, Carrie (Wesley) Swanson, Christine (Mike Ryan) Stoye, Donald Joseph “DJ” and Nicole Rice, Ronald (Lisa) Rawlings III, and Gabriel and Sergio Griffin; 11 great grandchildren; sister-in-law Bonnie Whitehead. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00am on Friday, April 7, 2017 at Grovenburg United Methodist Church (UMC), 1368 Grovenburg Rd., Holt, MI with Pastor Joseph Spackman of Delta Mills UMC presiding. The family will receive friends from 6:00pm until 8:00pm on Thursday, April 6, 2017 at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 900 E. Michigan Ave, Lansing.

The family wishes to extend its appreciation and thanks to Emergency Department and Neuro Critical Care Unit staff at Sparrow Hospital, and staff at Hospice House of Mid-Michigan for their excellent care of Ruth.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Hospice House of Mid-Michigan, 1210 W. Saginaw St., Lansing, MI 48915, www.sparrow.org/hospice.