MELVERN, Kan. – Janat Coleen Rice, 89, passed away Sunday, May 8, 2022, at Sunset Manor, Waverly, Kan. She was born Jan. 22, 1933, near Melvern, Kan., the daughter of Lloyd and Mary (Burns) Fanning.
Coleen grew up around Melvern and had lived on the farm northwest of Melvern since 1955. She had been at Sunset Manor in Waverly since 2020.
Coleen graduated from Melvern High School. She worked at Hilltop Nursing Home as a nurse’s aide before attending nursing school for LPN training. She then worked at St. Francis Hospital for a couple of years. She then returned to Hilltop as an LPN for many years until her retirement.
She was a member of the Melvern United Methodist Church, teaching Sunday school and Bible school, a member of the United Methodist Women, helping with Penny Suppers and bazaars. She had been involved in HDU and was the 4-H food superintendent.
On Dec. 24, 1950, Coleen was united in marriage to Raymond Rice, in Melvern. To this union six children were born, Steve, Rhonda, Randy, Nancy, Jerry and Danny.
Coleen was a beautiful, kind person, and a loving mother and grandmother. She enjoyed baking, and will always be remembered for her “grandma rolls” and pies. Her hobbies included reading and researching family genealogy. Most of all she loved her family and was dearly loved by them.
Coleen was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond, August 3, 1997; son, Randy; grandson, Jacob Knoernschild in 1981; her parents; and her brothers.
Coleen is survived by her five children, Steve (Debbie) Rice, of Melvern, Rhonda (Bob) Knoernschild, Lyndon, Kan., Nancy (Bruce) Carselowey, Rock, Kan., Jerry (Pam) Rice and Danny (Terry) Rice, all of Waverly; sister, JoAnn Arb, Melvern; and 16 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Memorial services will be 3 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at Feltner Funeral Chapel, Lyndon. The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. until service time. Private family inurnment will be in the Melvern Cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Johnson Cancer Research Center (Kansas State University), sent in care of Feltner Funeral Home, 818 Topeka Ave., Lyndon, KS 66451. Condolences can be left at feltnerfuneralhome.com.
