Judy M. Rice
January 15, 1936 - August 10, 2021
Judy M. Rice died peacefully with her five loving children by her side. Born in Omaha, Nebraska January 15, 1936 to John “Jack” and Theresa O’Connor, Judy remained true always to her Midwest roots – straightforward, honest, thoughtful and hardworking, and about family. When her family moved to Phoenix, Arizona Judy attended St. Frances Grade School and graduated from Xavier High Girls Preparatory School in
1953. Judy was a dancer for the Junior Phoenix ballet, and taught classes at the local Pima reservation. After that Judy attended nursing school at St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in Phoenix, where she graduated in 1956.
After working at St. Joseph’s Hospital for a year, Judy moved to San Francisco with her sister Patty, where she worked as a nurse in the operating room at St. Mary’s Hospital. After finishing that job, she, her sister, and two friends spent a summer traveling in Europe for three months, renting a car (an Opal) exploring the sights and cities. When Judy returned she went to work in the operating room as a surgical nurse at Children’s Hospital in San Francisco, where she worked for many years, often the 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. swing shift. Judy loved her job.
In 1959, at the Carmel Mission, Judy married Peter H. Rice, from Stevens Point, Wisconsin. They settled in Mill Valley and raised five children: Mark, Mike (Jennifer),
Suzi (Gordon), Katy (Ken), and Kevin (Ann); and Judy and Pete leave eight grandchildren (Gavin, Aiden, Denis,
Evan, Olivia, Sara, Ryan and Quinn). Judy doted on her grandkids; they often called or visited, which would spark her day. She and Peter loved their weekend getaways to Carmel and Calistoga, their trips to Puerto Vallarta and their family summer vacations in Lake Tahoe. Judy was “all go.”
After retiring from nursing, Judy worked for 10 years at the front desk of a pediatrician’s office in Mill Valley, and loved working with the children of Mill Valley. Judy was a talented watercolor artist, and loved to play tennis. Her favorite place to be was at the beach. She later took up
golf (right-handed, though a natural lefty) and loved going to the AT&T Pro-Am in Pebble Beach with friends to watch the golf tournament. Judy was active at the Mill Valley Outdoor Art Club, the Mill Valley Tennis Club, and the Mt. Carmel Parish. Judy loved her friends, her family and let everyone know how much she enjoyed them. To be in Judy’s company was always warm, memorable and special.
Beyond being in a loving partnership with Peter (who passed in 2019, after he and Judy shared 59 years of marriage), Judy loved life, loved to laugh, was keenly observant, spoke her mind unabashedly and expected everyone to also, loved watching football, golf and tennis
and the TV show Jeopardy, and loved rooting for her favorite left handers, Phil Mickelson and Steve Young. Like Sinatra, whose music she loved, Judy did it “her way,” and cherished her faith and her simple authentic rules to live by.
Celebration of Life Services will take place Friday, September 24, 2021 at 1p.m., St. Hilary’s Catholic Church, 761 Hilary Dr. Tiburon. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Godmothers of St. Vincent School for Boys, 1 St. Vincent’s Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903.