Mary K. Rice

Mary K. Rice, age 76, of Wake Forest, NC, passed away February 10, 2024. She is survived by her beloved husband of 8 years, John D. Rice.

 She was born August 8, 1947, in Honolulu, Oahu, and came to the continental states on a battleship, an event which received extensive media coverage when she was only 6 months old. She lived in Indiana where she proudly graduated from Indiana University at South Bend in 1991 at age 45 with a degree in Nursing and loved working in the NICU. She resided in Wilmington, NC, caring for the elderly with genuine compassion, until she met her “sweetheart” John in 2015 and married him a month later. Mary moved to Wake Forest with him where he created Mary’s Studio for her, a place where she could create beautiful paintings and do all types of arts and crafts she excelled at and thoroughly enjoyed.

A faithful Jehovah’s Witness baptized in 1974, Mary was active in the ministry work including completing Pioneer Service School in 2015. Mary served in several congregations across the United States and was warmly welcomed by John’s congregation in Raleigh where he has served for almost 50 years.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her six children, Cindy Alexander (Tony), Lisa Kelly (Judy), Amy Grenell (Travis), Laura Daniel (Dennis), David Kelly (Monica), Mike Kelly, and two stepdaughters, Angela Rice-Warren (Mike Warren), and Lisa Rice; and her sisters Pat Colanese (Jim) and Barbara Kulwicki; and 21 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her parents, Ernest Kulwicki and Marjory Jean Kulwicki.

The family wishes to thank Franklin Manor and Amedisys Hospice for their loving, compassionate, and attentive care.

Flowers will be gladly accepted as are donations to the Amedisys Hospice Foundation at https://www.amedisys.com/about/foundation. 

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, February 14, 2024, at 12 noon at Powell Funeral Home in South Boston, VA, with Elder Matt Cayruth officiating, followed by burial at Halifax Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends one hour prior at Powell Funeral Home, 1603 Wilborn Avenue, South Boston, VA, 24592.

Arrangements are entrusted to Powell Funeral Home, INC. Online condolences may be directed to www.powellfuneralinc.com

You may view her tribute by clicking this link https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/FS287Y4LW2BD8LYD