Carol Jean Rice Ely, 67, Fairbury, died at 1:00 am Thursday, September 7, 2017 at her residence in Fairbury.

Visitation will be 1:00 to 4:00 pm Sunday, September 10, 2017 at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury.  In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials be given to Dominy Memorial Library, Fairbury; Children's Research Foundation, Claredon Hill, IL; Advocate BroMenn Hospice, Normal.

Mrs. Ely was born October 31, 1949 in Fairbury the daughter of Lloyd Eugene and Dorothy Wiese Rice.  She married Donald Ely on November 30, 1968.  He preceded her in death on August 21, 1999.

Survivors include her mother, Dorothy, Piper City; her children, Angela K. Bork, Blue Mound; Vicki J. Phillips, Sibley; Jeffery E. Ely, Fairbury; 6 grandchildren, Rowan, Taylor & Morgan Bork; Kaydan Smith, Elyssa & Lane Phillips; 7 brothers and sisters, Janet (Richard) DuBroff, Normal; Daniel (Norma) Rice, Lexington; Susan (William) Saathoff, Wadsworth, OH; Ruth (Steve) Kurtenbach, Towanda; Amy Owen, Bloomington; David (Dawn) Rice, Buckley; Nancy (Larry) Miller, Watertown, WI.

She is preceded in death by her father and a sister, Connie Lambert.

Mrs. Ely was a 1967 graduate of Piper City High School.  She worked for Cornbelt Library System, the Dominy Memorial Library, Pontiac Daily Leader and Alliance Grain, Anchor.

She was an active member of the GFWC Illinois; Fairbury Junior and Woman's Clubs since 1975.  She was a Girl Scout Leader for many years and was Chairperson of the Fairbury Fair Floriculture Department (1977-2013).