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Jane Arlene Rice passed away Friday, May 17, 2013, at NCWH.  Jane was born September 17,1947, to Grace and Al Rice of Seaton’s Grove.  Jane is survived by sisters Elaine Witters of Okanogan,  Aleta Rice of Pullman, and brother Todd Rice(Katrina) of Wongarbon, NSW, Australia.  Jane’s favorite people in the world were her nieces and nephews: Beth Yarnell (Dave) and son Jarrod of Riverside,  Ben Poch (Alicia) and children Danielle, Carly, and Eli of Kent, Nick Poch and sons Jackson and Zach of Pullman, Amber Green (Walter) of Spokane, Anglea Wulbert (Noah) and sons Sam and Elliot of Redmond, and Ali Rice of Wongarbon, Australia.

 The family moved to Minnesota when Jane was 4 to farm near Park Rapids.  They returned to Elmer City, Washington when she was in 3rd grade.  Jane graduated from Coulee Dam High School in 1965.  She earned a BA in Elementary Education with a science minor at Eastern Washington University.  Jane taught elementary classes at Twisp, Wash., and Plummer, Idaho.  She also worked for the VA in Boise, Idaho and American sign and indicator in Spokane after attending business school in Spokane.  In 1985 she moved to Okanogan where she worked for the Omak School District as a teacher aide and in the Head Start program.  Jane also worked for the Bureau of Reclamation at Grand Coulee Dam, Columbia Basin Job Corps, and most recently Ephrata, Walmart.  She has resided in the Soap Lake area nearly 20 years now.

 Besides her family, Jane loved cats, enjoyed flowers and gardening, reading, music and learning about new places and ideas, especially in science.  She was looking forward to exploring places of interest in the Northwest when she retired.  Jane enjoyed her church family wherever she was, and had a great variety of friends she kept in contact with from all areas of her life.  Jane had an amazing ability to always find the “perfect” gift for people, she’d have made a great personal shopper.  She loved to give and receive hugs.  So many people have expressed to us what a wonderful job she did as a greeter at Walmart brightening peoples’ days with her genuinely caring ways.

Graveside Services for Jane will be held at Spring Canyon Cemetery of Grand Coulee, Washington at 11 a.m., on Friday, May 24, 2013.

 An account has been established in Jane Rice’s name to help defray final expenses.  Donations may be made at any branch of Coulee Dam Federal Credit Union.  Jane’s  family thanks you in advance for your assistance.

Please sign Jane’s online register book at http://www.stratefuneralhome.com .  Strate Funeral Home of Grand Coulee, WA is honored to be serving Jane’s family.