Nov. 20, 1923 – Feb. 26, 2015
Maxine Valate Gourley Rice, 91, of Foster died Feb. 26, 2015 at her home due to natural causes. She was surrounded by members of her loving family.
She was born Nov. 20, 1923 in Robertson, Wyo. to Robert Mancel and Eldawna Eileen (Gray) Gourley, the second of four children, including three brothers. She was born at the family homestead of her maternal grandfather.
In 1942, her family moved to Portland, where she graduated from Gresham High School. Because the country was in the midst of World War II, she went to work in the Kaiser Shipyards in Vancouver, Wash. Her excellent office skills and work ethic resulted in her being promoted to a supervisory clerk in the Kaiser shipping department, which built aircraft carriers.
In 1946, she went to work for Willamette Industries, Foster division, as time keeper and payroll clerk. In the mid 1960s she began working for the U.S. Forest Service, doing clerical work. She continued with this job until she retired in the mid-1970s.
She married Willis George “Bill” Rice on Sept. 24, 1948.
They lived in Lebanon from September 1948 to June 1949, then moved seven miles east of Foster, where they built their home.
They had two sons, Robert Terry Rice, and Michael Dwaine Rice.
Mrs. Rice spent her retirement years doing much of what she loved. She shared the same interests of her husband, who was an avid fisherman, hunter, camper, dancer, lover of good music, and gardener.
The Rices celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and Bill’s 80th birthday in June of 1998. They were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Mrs. Rice is survived by her two sons, Terry and Mike, and their wives; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Willis George “Bill” Rice; her older brother Robert Roy Gourley; and her two younger brothers, William Mancel Gourley and Jack Elwin Gourley.
Viewing will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 5, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sweet Home, with a funeral service following at 11 a.m.
Interment will be at the Gilliland Cemetery, where a graveside service will be for family members only.
Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.