Submitted by: Margie Roop Pearce

South Bend Tribune (IN); May 01. 2006 6:59AM

Verena M. Rice  May 12, 1914 - April 29, 2006

   Lakeville, IN - Verena Mae Rice, 91, of Lakeville, passed away at 1:18 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2006, in Miller's Merry Manor, Walkerton.

   Mrs. Rice was born on May 12, 1914, in Decatur, Ind., to the late Milton and Opal (Landis) Zimmerman. She had been a lifelong area resident. On June 1, 1935, in Decatur, Ind., she married Benjamin Victor Rice Sr. Verena and Benjamin were married for 69 years before he passed away on December 10, 2004.

   One daughter, Sondra Annis; one son, Benjamin Rice Jr.; six sisters, Phyllis Fairchild, Eileen Rice, Charlotte Worthman, Jenny McAlhaney, Evelyn Arnold, and Janice Zimmerman; and four brothers, Walter, Avon, Greg, and Jerry Zimmerman all preceded her in death.

   Mrs. Rice was a member of the Lakeside Baptist Church in Lakeville. She was a wonderful homemaker. She, along with her husband, formerly owned Rice's Greenhouse. She loved working in the greenhouse and attending to her garden and flowers. Mrs. Rice never met a stranger and wil l be missed by all who knew her.

   Mrs. Rice is survived by one daughter, Bonnie Kelley of Lakeville; three sons, Roger (Pam) Rice of South Bend, Douglas (Pamela) Rice of Walkerton, and Jeffrey (Trena) Rice of Bremen; daughter-in-law, Audrey Rice of Lakeville; 25 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; and one sister, Sue Waggoner of New Haven, Ind.

   Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2, 2006, in the Lakeside Baptist Church, Lakeville. Rev. Vito Rulli, pastor, will officiate. Graveside services and burial will follow at Southlawn Cemetery, South Bend. Friends may visit with the family after 11 a.m. until time of services on Tuesday at the church. Palmer Funeral Home, Lakeville, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.

Contributions in memory of Verena Mae Rice may be donated to the Lakeside Baptist Church, 515 Michigan Trail, Lakeville, IN 46536.