Billie Jean (Robinson) Rice passes away

Memorial services for Billie Jean (Robinson) Rice, 93, of Ada will be held at a later date.

Our family lost one of the brightest lights it has ever known. “Granny,” Billie Jean Robinson Rice, passed away quietly Saturday, December 21, 2019 at Brookdale Assisted Living Center in Ada. She was born November 23, 1926 at Coleman to Bill and Artie Robinson. She attended Clarita Schools and graduated from Clarita High School in 1944.

She married Winston P. Rice, Sr. February, 1946. He preceded her in death in 2007. Winston served in the military as a pilot for 22 years, retiring as a Lt. Colonel and Mrs. Rice was a homemaker and affiliated with the Church of Christ.

Billie Jean was known for her kindness, quickness of wit, greenness of thumb, fondness of games, sense of adventure, and literally loving anything to do with her family. Being a self-taught genealogist, she thoroughly enjoyed researching family roots and sharing them. She came from a long line of storytellers and has truly passed on that cherished gift to her children and grandchildren.

It gives us great comfort to know that she is joining her parents, siblings and her loving husband.

Survivors include two sons, Winston P. Rice, Jr. and wife Linda, Clarita, and Tim Rice and wife Ann, Albuquerque, NM; a daughter, Gwen Gjovig and husband Russell, Ada; her grandchildren, William Rice, Oklahoma City, Zach Rice, Clarita, Kathryn Rice, Plano, TX, Lisa Witt, Wylie, TX, Ryan Gjovig, Abu Dhabi, UAE and Eric Gjovig, Ada; 14 great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; four sisters-in-law, Jo Rice, Ada, Marian Rice, Oklahoma City, Mary Ann Robinson, Garland, TX and Verna Rice, Ada; and a brother-in-law, Billy Bob Rice, Ada.