Nancy Lane Palmer

Nancy Lane Palmer, 81, of Du Quoin, went home to be the Lord on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012 at 2:50 a.m., after an 11-day stay at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, where she was unconscious.

Ms. Palmer was born Nancy Lane Norris on Oct. 8, 1931 in Du Quoin, Illinois to Mabel (Huggins) and Ira Norris. She had two older brothers, Norman and Relmond, who preceded her in death and one younger brother, Kenny Norris, who resides in Benton, Ill.

Nancy married Everett Douglas Rice in 1947 in Du Quoin, Ill. They were married for 22 years and had four sons - Stephen Douglas Rice, Relmond Dale Rice, Rodney James Rice and Michael David Rice. Doug and Nancy relocated from Du Quoin to the Chicago suburbs in 1953. While in Chicago, Nancy worked as a nurse's aide, manager for a cafeteria and was a house mother for a facility which housed individuals with developmental disabilities. She also met and married her second husband, Jim Kincaid while residing in the Chicago area. There were no children born to that marriage. Nancy returned to Southern Illinois in 1979 to care for her elderly parents.

During the time she took care of her parents, Nancy also was employed at Pinckneyville Hospital as a nurse's aide, until she retired. She remarried Jim Kincaid and cared for him until he died of cancer. In 2002, Nancy married Ray Palmer of Du Quoin and they were married three years, until he passed.

Nancy has been a faithful member of Second Baptist Church in Du Quoin and most recently Paradise Baptist Church in Tamaroa, Ill. She enjoyed telling people about her Savior and led many individuals to the Lord. She loved her four children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and frequently bragged about them.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Mabel and Ira Norris, two brothers, Relmond and Norman Norris and two husbands, Jim Kincaid and Ray Palmer. She has one surviving brother, Kenny Norris, who currently resides in Benton, Ill. She is also survived by her first husband and father of her sons, Doug Rice, her four sons, Steve Rice and wife Cindy of Wilmington, N.C., Relmond Rice and wife JoAnn of Rogersville, Mo., Rodney Rice of Du Quoin, Ill. and Mike Rice and his wife Brenda of Elkville, Ill. Other survivors include her grandchildren, Kendra, Matthew and James Rice of North Carolina, Jason, Michael and Nicholas Rice of Rogersville, Missouri, Richard Groves and wife Katrina of Mulkeytown, Ill., Scott Groves and wife Andrea of Palos Park, Ill., Michelle and Elvis Ewing of Rogersville, Missouri, Hannah Sullivan of Elkville, Ill. and Nathan and Desirae Rice of DuQuoin, Ill. and five great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, Dec. 28, 2012 at the Searby Funeral Home in Du Quoin with Rev. Shaw DeMent and Rev. Ted Clark officiating.

Friends may call from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service on Friday at the Searby Funeral Home in Du Quoin.

Burial will be in the Old Du Quoin Cemetery at Du Quoin.

For additional information or to sign the memorial guest register, please visit www.searbyfuneralhomes.com.