RICE, Billie Jean (Harris) - b. November 1, 1944 - d. February 3, 2012

[flo]

Services for Billie will be Wed. 11:00 a.m. at the Koup Morturary in Eureka.  Visitation will be Tues. eve. from 6-8.

[Marcia Moore]

Billie Jean (Harris) Rice, of Eureka, Kansas,  died on Friday, February 3, 2012 at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital, in El Dorado, Kansas at the age of 67.  She was born on November 1, 1944, in Winfield, Kansas, the daughter of Bill and Erma Jean (Wooldridge) Harris.

She was raised in Hereford, Texas and Severy, Kansas on a dairy farm. She graduated from Severy High School with the class of 1963. After high school, Billie moved to Wichita to attend Wichita Business College. While in Wichita, she became a mother of three and moved to Severy in 1977.  On December 20, 1986, Billie was united in marriage to Lloyd O. Rice, Jr. in Eureka. They made their home in Severy before moving to the Rice family farm in 1994.

Billie was a member of the Severy United Methodist Church, the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, and the Eastern Star Golden Rod Chapter #163 of Yates Center.

She is survived by her husband, Junior of the home; son, Jon Ray of Baxter Springs, Kansas; daughters, Jacque Burris of Augusta, Kansas and Jenny Stapleford of Marion, Kansas; ten grandchildren; sister, Judy Knapp of Severy, Kansas; and brothers, Wilford Harris of Andover, Kansas, Roger Harris of Emporia, Kansas, and Randy Harris of Madison, Kansas. She was a mother and grandmother to many others. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at Koup Family Funeral Home, 121 N. Oak Street, Eureka, Kansas with Pastor Tony Pameticky of the Severy Baptist Church officiating. Cremation will be effected following the service. A private family inurnment will follow at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be made to the Wichita Humane Society, the Eastern Star Golden Rod Chapter #163 of Yates Center, Kansas, or the Severy United Methodist Church. Contributions may be sent in care of Koup Family Funeral Home at P.O. Box 595, Eureka, KS 67045, which was in charge of service arrangements.

(taken from the Koup Funeral Home website)