Gertrude A. Rice

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Gertrude A. Rice, 96, of Springfield passed away Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011, at Memorial Medical Center.

She was born in Du Quoin, on Feb. 12, 1915 to George Newton and Amy Ellen (Ridgeway) Bowles. She married Zeb Rice in 1934 in Pinckneyville, Ill.. He preceded her in death in 1986. She also was preceded in death by seven brothers, Harry, Jesse, George, Raymond, Leonard, Robert and Carl Bowles and a son-in-law, Robert DeWitt.

Mrs. Rice was formerly employed by Memorial Medical Center, retiring in 1977 after nine years of service.

She is survived by three daughters, Frances A. DeWitt of Georgetown, Tex., Janet L. Koehne of Springfield and Carol A. Norman of Springfield; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren.

A graveside service was held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 25, 2011 at the Primitive Baptist Cemetery in Du Quoin, with the Rev. Jim Endsley officiating.

Visit www.vancilmurphy.com to offer your condolences