Mrs. Mary Alice Rice

Memorial services for Mrs. Mary Alice Rice, 82, of Henderson, will be at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, December 21, 2023 at Crawford-A. Crim Funeral Home chapel with Pastor Brad McKenzie and Pastor Matt Korzeniewski officiating. A Memorial Visitation will be held from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at Crawford - A. Crim Funeral Home. Mary Alice Hudman Rice, age 82, transitioned to her heavenly home on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at her home in Brachfield Texas. Mary Alice or “Alice” as she was lovingly called by family and close friends, was born on September 8, 1941 in Mt. Enterprise, Texas to Graham and Verna Owens Hudman. She graduated from Henderson High School with the class of 1959 and remained loyal to her classmates celebrating with them their 65th reunion just 2 weeks ago. After high school, Mary Alice attended Massey Business College and entered the workforce as a secretary for SWEPCO and later Hearne Oil Company in Longview. Always the workaholic, Mary Alice worked after hours at Oil Bowling Alley where she met and fell in love with John Kennedy. They were married on February 18, 1962 making their home first in Farmington, New Mexico and later in Denver, Colorado where the love of both their lives, Justin Neel, was born. Shortly after their move to Denver, Mary’s mother suffered a devastating car accident and later in the year Mary’s father also suffered a catastrophic injury. Mary returned home for several months to care for her parents and for her twin sisters, Ann and Jan, who were 9 at the time. Thus began her life-long commitment to caring for family and friends in every way possible. While in Denver, Mary, as she was known there, worked as a secretary for the Colorado Baptist Association, then as an executive marketing assistant for Great Western Sugar Company. She was also a representative for Hallmark owning a store in Denver for a period of time. And, she even owned a small boutique in Fredericksburg, Texas where dolls, jewelry, paintings and more were sold. Mary Alice returned to Texas in 1994 where she worked for Haliburton until 2002. From 2002 until 2013, Mary worked for Qualicare of East Texas, a home health agency in which she was a co-owner, and later at MJS & Associates, from which she retired on September 8, 2013. But she never stopped her volunteer work for the people she loved and those who needed her in any way. This was her “serving community and church” phase that was no longer impeded by the work-day. She read to children at the Mt. Enterprise library, handed out food at the local food bank, and took care of every stray cat (and person) that she encountered. Throughout her life, Mary Alice had a passion for music, primarily Southern gospel music. From an early age, she sang in a quartet or trio in church and in later years in community settings. She was inspired by the singing of gospel groups, often traveling hundreds of miles in a single evening to hear preaching and singing of her favorites – Mark Trammel Quartet, The Talleys, Greater Vision, The Gaither Vocal Band, The Calvary Boys, Grounded, and of course, David Phelps, among many others. She had gospel running buddies, Marsha, Kay, Becca, Marilyn, and others who traveled with her to concerts with the latest gospel CDs playing loudly in her car. She went with her friends on at least six gospel music cruises in the past 15 years. Mary found ways to fund and/or sponsor concerts in East Texas to keep the genre alive for the younger generation. She introduced young family members to gospel music and even paid for music lessons with some of the great singers – especially for Ally who, to this day, credits “Aunt Alice” for her start in music. Throughout her life, Mary always loved and supported her church home – wherever that was. She was a long-time member of University Hills Baptist Church in Denver where she sang in the choir. Most recently Mary was a member of First Baptist Church in Mt. Enterprise attending regularly even in the latter days while receiving treatments. She sang in church choirs wherever she lived, even sharing her alto voice most recently with her sister’s choir in Nacogdoches because it was “needed.” Mary was preceded in death by husbands John Kennedy and Don Rice, her parents, and a brother Edwin Graham. She is survived by her son Justin of Denver Colorado, her sisters and brothers-in law Jan & Charlie Spears of Nacogdoches, and Ann and Dean Ragsdale of Pine Hill. Also surviving are close nieces and nephew including Tiffany Fuller, Sandy Gross, Jessica Ragsdale, and Zachary (Heather) Ragsdale. Aunt Alice also shared her boundless gifts of love, laughter and music with “bonus” grandchildren including Alyssa, Jenna, Josie, Kate, Jackson and Madilyn, and most recently with bonus “greats” including Cooper, Charlotte, Kulton, and Paisley. No doubt, Mary has joined the heavenly choir which she has looked forward to all her adult life and is now singing praises to her Lord and King for all eternity. “So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” - 1 Corinthians 13:13. Donations may be made in Mary’s name to: Samaritan’s Purse P.O. Box 3000 NC 28607 Shiloh Cemetery Fund Verabank – Shiloh Cemetery C/o Tracy Cadenhead 11105CR 3131 Mt. Enterprise, TX 75681 Morning Star Food Pantry of Mt. Enterprise 210 North Railroad St Mr. Enterprise, Texas 75681 Condolences may be made at www.crawfordacrim.com.

Mrs. Mary Alice Rice

September 8, 1941 - December 14, 2023