MARJORIE H.K. RICE
1925-2020
Marjorie Knapheide Rice passed away on September 16, 2020. She was born on November 24, 1925 in Ideal, South Dakota, as the youngest of six children of Oliver Charles and Mary Brown Knapheide.
Marjorie is predeceased by parents and her siblings Oliver “Butch” Charles Knapheide, Donald “Bud” Brown Knapheide, Williams “Billy” Knapheide, Mary “Midge” Williams Tourney, and Virginia Katherine Bell; by her husband James Allen Rice, to whom she was married for 45 years; and by her eldest son James William Rice. She is survived by her youngest son Allen Stuart Rice and his wife Yvonne Yih-Fen Ho, her grandson Nicholas Allen Rice, and many beloved nieces and nephews and their children.
Marjorie obtained her Bachelor of Arts from
Culver-Stockton College, where she was a member of the Chi Omega sorority, and a Masters degree from the University of Iowa in library science. She enjoyed a diverse career, beginning as a copy editor who wrote and presented commercials at WTAD Radio and KHQA TV in Quincy, Illinois. After moving to Houston, Texas, she served as the librarian at MacArthur High School and, subsequently, in the Public Relations Department of the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast, where she used her photography skills to create presentations for promotional campaigns.
Marjorie devoted many hours to community organizations. While living in Quincy, Illinois, she was a frequent actor in productions with the Quincy Community Theater. In Houston, she delivered “Meals on Wheels” for the Northwest Assistance Ministries. And, in keeping with her passion for literature, she volunteered at the Barbara Bush Library Friends Book Store. She was also an active member of the American Association of University Women, through which she forged lifelong friendships with similarly cultured, curious, and active women who enjoyed traveling around the world, attending operas, discussing books and politics, and gambling for quarters over Mahjong. A spunky individual with a sharp mind and quick wit, she has left her friends and family with countless memories to treasure for years to come.
Her family will host a virtual memorial service at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 3rd. If you wish to attend, please contact Yvonne Y. Ho at (281) 635-2582 for additional information.