Mary Elizabeth Rice, age 81 of Wellsville, Kansas passed away Sunday, September 22, 2024 at Wellsville Health and Rehab. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11AM, Saturday, September 28, 2024 at Divine Mercy Parish in Gardner. Visitation will be prior at 10:30AM, also at Divine Mercy. Interment will follow services in the Wellsville Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society in care of Wilson’s Funeral Home, PO Box 486, Wellsville, KS 66092.
Mary Elizabeth Rice was born October 28, 1942 in Kansas City, Missouri, the daughter of Clarence M. and Theresa C. (Renner) Schweiger. She grew up in Lenexa, Kansas on a dairy farm with her family and graduated from Saint Joseph High School in 1960. She worked many years at the JC Penny Warehouse in quality control, but was a homemaker most of her life. Mary attended Divine Mercy Catholic Church in Gardner.
On August 3, 1990, she married Clifford James Rice in Olathe, Kansas. They shared 34 years of marriage before her passing. Cliff survives at the home in Wellsville. Mary loved traveling with her husband and family. She adored her grandchildren and the many nights and weekends they stayed over at her house. She greatly enjoyed spending time with her extended family at the Lake of the Ozarks. She was an avid fan of the Royals, Chiefs and Jayhawks. She enjoyed watching birds, able to identify pretty much every bird she saw. Her family will miss her love and care along with her very witty sense of humor.
Mary is survived by her husband, Cliff of the home; daughter, Tina Pederson (Dan) of Basehor, KS; son, Jerry Myers (Amanda) of Olathe, KS; daughter, Robin Moore (Chris) of KCK; son, Steven Rice (Alecia) of Seattle, WA; daughter, Maria Mallett (Randall) of Milton, FL; grandchildren: Sarah Myers, Megan Myers, Jay (Jessica) Myers, Brandon King, Hannah Moore, Jacob Moore, Seth Rice, and Gwyneth Rice; great-grandchildren Maddox Moore and Lizzy ; brother, Tom Schweiger (Barbara) of Gravois Mills, MO; brother, Clarence Schweiger, Jr. (Maria) of Gardner, KS; sister, Dorothy McClain (Mike), of Osawatomie, KS; brother, Bernard Schweiger (Jodi) of Olathe, KS; sister, Joan Norman of North KCMO; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; brother, Joe Schweiger; sister, Helen Eckerberg; brother, Carl Schweiger; sister, Barbara Eckerberg; grandson, Dylan Moore (2009).
