Vestal Olene (Owens) Rice, of Waldron, Arkansas, passed from this life into eternity with Jesus on July 13, 2024, at the age of 95. Vestal was born March 6, 1929, in Gravelly, Arkansas to Jake and Edith Parker Owens. She graduated from Waldron High School in 1946. She began working in the local drug store at the age of 13 at the soda fountain and later as assistant to the pharmacist.
In 1947 she married her high school sweetheart, Ray Rice and they were married for 77 years, raising 4 children who survive her: Wendell Ralph Rice (wife Phyllis) of Bella Vista, Sherry Plummer of Ft. Smith, Christy Rogers of Sherwood, and Karen Johnson (husband Brian) of Bentonville. Also surviving her are six grandchildren: Jennifer London, Tracie Spaulding, Jon Plummer, Haley Spradlin, Anna Tobkin and Sarah Johnson, nine great-grandchildren, and many in-laws and extended family.
Vestal was a follower of Christ and longtime member of First Baptist Church in Waldron, serving the Lord there as a Sunday School teacher, committee member and church clerk. Vestal was a self-taught seamstress and spent many hours at the sewing machine. She also enjoyed quilting, and making puppets and costumes for use in Children’s ministry at First Baptist.
Preceding Vestal in death were husband Ray, her parents, her father and mother-in-law Jimmy and Hazel Rice, brother, Rena Owens, sister Wanda Priddy, sister-in-law Johnnie Faye Owens, sister-in-law Roberta Harris, son-in-law Ronnie Plummer, grandson-in-law Darriell Mathis, and foster great grandson, Hayden Taylor.
A graveside service and burial will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at 10:00 AM, at Birdsview United Methodist Church, City Lake Road, Waldron, Arkansas with Randy Hogan officiating. Interment will follow for the couple in the Birdsview Cemetery. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
Memorial donations may be made to the Birdsview Cemetery Fund at 1378 City Lake Rd, Waldron, Arkansas, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org in memory of Vestal Rice.
