Shirley D. "Toots" Rice Obituary (1932 - 2022)

Shirley D. "Toots" Rice, 90, of Le Roy, Illinois, passed away at 11:15 P.M. Wednesday, August 17, 2022, peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family. Her funeral will be held at 10:00 A.M. Monday, August 22, 2022, at the Le Roy Christian Church with Frank Lunn officiating. Burial will follow at East Lawn Cemetery, Bloomington, Illinois. Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. Sunday, August 21, 2022, at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Le Roy Christian Church or L.E.A.S. Calvert-Belangee-Bruce Funeral Home of Le Roy is in charge of arrangements. Shirley was born on May 19, 1932, in Arrowsmith Township, McLean County, Illinois, a daughter of Ray & Gertrude Benningfield Rafferty. She married the love of her life, Robert Rice, on September 17, 1950, at the Le Roy Christian Church. She is survived by her husband of 71 years, Robert Rice of Le Roy. Also surviving are four daughters, Jeanne & Jim Meaker of Phoenix, AZ, Debbie & Sam Wilson, Pattie & Kenny Albert and Dixie & Greg Wardrip, all of Le Roy; and a bonus daughter, Barb Monical of Le Roy. She is survived by 9 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by 2 sisters, Lorraine & Mick Beal of Hudson & Grace & Loren Bean of Le Roy. Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Ray & Gertrude Rafferty and her siblings, Ora Mae Sigler, Velma Rafferty, Wes and Bob Rafferty. Shirley was a clerk for Harbison Pharmacy Le Roy for 13 years and secretary for the Le Roy Christian Church for 25 years. She was Volunteer of the Year for Le Roy in 2004. Also, she was a volunteer for funeral dinners at the Le Roy Christian Church for 50 years. Shirley was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and a friend to all she knew.