Melba Belle Rice

Melba Rice began her new life in Heaven on Saturday, May 21, 2016. She was born Melba Belle Hamill on March 29, 1921 in Grandfield, OK to Fern and Gertrude Hamill. She grew up in the farm lands on the Red River. She graduated from Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State College). The Internet and dating sites did not exist at that time, but technology was involved in finding her match. Melba met her future husband, Paul E. Rice, when he prank called her during her shift as a college telephone operator. That prank call led to a date, which led to a friendship, and then love. She married Paul on July 13, 1945 in Phoenix, AZ.
The couple moved from Las Vegas, NV to Albuquerque, NM, where son Mark Hamill Rice was born. Then they moved to Baltimore, MD, and later to Richmond, VA where son Randolph Patrick Rice was born. They finally settled in Denison, TX in 1952 where daughter Paula Kay Rice and son Marshall Eric Rice were born. The Rices purchased five acres of land on Loy Lake Road, which was outside of Denison city limits at the time.
Melba loved bluebonnets and grew them each year. She also loved serving the Lord through her involvement as a Sunday school teacher for elementary children for 31 years at various churches. Her most recent church was Trinity Lighthouse where she had been a member since 1993. Melba and Paul led cell group Bible studies for 20+ years in their home.
Melba is preceded in death by her husband, Paul, her parents and in-laws, and three siblings, Charles Hamill, Lois Halversen, and Fred Hamill.
Melba is survived by her children: Mark Rice and his wife, Patricia (Saledo, TX), Randy Rice (Denison, TX), Paula Rice-Carlson and her husband, David (Arlington, TX), and Marshall Eric Rice and his wife, Lisa (Atlanta, GA). She also leaves behind seven grandchildren: Meredith Rice, Stephanie Macier (and her husband Matthew), Naomi Wainwright, Sarah Lewis (and her husband Phillip), Hannah Rice, Corey Carlson, and Brandon Rice. She also had two great grandchildren: Jacob Rice and Madison Wainwright.
A celebration of Melba’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, June 2, 2016 at Trinity Lighthouse Church in Denison, TX with Reverend Raymond England officiating. Burial was beside her husband in Fairview Cemetery.
 In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a charitable donation be made to Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.
Arrangements are under the direction of Johnson-Moore Funeral Home.
Condolences may be registered to: www.johnsonmoorefuneralhome.net.