Geneva Rice
Geneva M. Rice, 101, of Waukon died Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Memorial services will be held Tuesday, April 4 at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 10 a.m. until the time of services April 4 at the church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.
Geneva May Wilke was born May 17, 1921 in Postville, the daughter of Wilbert and Anna (Miller) Wilke. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Postville. Genny grew up on her parents’ farm north of Postville and attended Woodland Country School. In December of 1935, they moved into Postville and she graduated from Postville High School in 1938. While living in Postville, Genny worked at Rima Café, The Palm Coffee Shop and Bus Station, and Douglass Pharmacy.
November 8, 1955, she married Glen Rice at the Methodist church in Decorah. They moved to Waukon, where she worked at the Phillips 66 Café.
After moving to Waukon, she became a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and was a greeter, active in Rachel Circle, served on the Altar Guild, and helped with the quilts, newsletter and communion. Genny was also a former member of Al-Anon. She enjoyed traveling, reading, watching movies, going shopping and following school activities. Genny also loved visiting with her family, having coffee with friends and cousins, and she loved animals.
Genny had a God-given gift as an artist and was able to let her personality shine through her art. Many people in the area have a piece of her art, usually signed “by Genny”, whether it’s a sewing piece, pencil drawing or acrylic/oil painting. Landscapes and portraits of both people and animals were something she was particularly good at creating.
Survivors include her son, Donald Everett (Mary) Rice of Moorhead, MN; two granddaughters, Anna (Matt) Dearth of Grand Forks, ND and Sarah Rice of Sherman Oaks, CA; her first cousin, Arlene Beisker; and many other cousins. She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Glen, in 1985.
Honorary urnbearers are Anna Dearth, Sarah Rice, Kevin McKee, David Miller and Wayne Howe. Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.
