Elsie Rice

Elsie Louise Rice, 81, of Great Falls, a homemaker, died on Friday, December 16, 2011 at a local hospital of natural causes.A remembrance gathering will be held at Valley Community Bible Church on Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 2:00PM.Cremation has taken place under the direction of Schnider Funeral Home.A memorial service and inurnment will be held in Hardin, MT at a later date.Elsie was born March 12, 1930 to William and Mabel (Pitsch) Kern in Hardin, MT.She was raised and educated in Hardin, MT and attended graduate school in St. Xavier, MT.After her children were raised she worked for the city of Great Falls and then for the First Bank of Great Falls until her retirement in 1990.Elsie then went on to work at various care giving facilities, caring for the elderly and sick and was also a member of the Cowgirls Association.She enjoyed being involved in the lives of her six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren and was very proud of them all.She is survived by her husband of 62 years John Rice of Great Falls; a daughter, Dianne (Dick) Dalke of Great Falls; a son, Doug (Annie) Rice of Great Falls; sisters, Carol Bowersof Hardin, MT and Bonnie (Dan) Torske of Spokane, WA; a brother Edwin (Frieda) Kern of Post Falls, ID; grandchildren, Ember (Marshall) Arteaga of LaHabra, CA, Rebecca (Bud) Ramsey of Missoula, Kimberlee (Lance) Boyd of Great Falls, Jeramy (Andrea) Rice of Helena, Amanda (James) Rusterholtz of Berryville, AR and Ryan Dalke of Great Falls; great-grandchildren, Joshua and Nicole Morales of LaHabra, CA, Bridger Ramsey of Missoula, Hunter and Hanna Boyd of Great Falls, Braylon and Clayton Rice of Helena, Emily and Abigail Rusterholtz of Berryville, AR.She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, Bill and Dave Kern, and sisters, Clara Muhlbeier and Wilma Cole.Her children rise up and call her blessed. (Proverbs 31:28a)Memorials are suggested to the Evangelical and Reformed Church, 709 North Cheyenne Avenue, Hardin, MT 59034.Grandma, we will miss you on Christmas Eve.We will eat our dinner before we open our gifts like you always wanted us to.We know you will be spending it with Jesus and someday we will be with you again.We love you very much and thank you for loving us so passionately.