Wava S. Rice, 91, Colfax passed away at 5:00 pm Friday, December 25, 2009 at Heritage Manor Nursing Home, Colfax.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 am Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Colfax with the Rev. Mark Marshall and Rev. Wendell Wardell officiating. Burial will be in Eastlawn Memorial Gardens, Bloomington.

Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 am Wednesday at the memorial home. The family suggests memorials be given to the Union Church of Cooksville, Heritage Manor Nursing Home, Colfax or to the charity of the donor's choice.

Mrs. Rice was born December 6, 1918 in Lexington, IL, the daughter of Louis J. and Maude Owens Sutter. She married Fletcher Rice on August 18, 1946 in Cooksville, IL. He survives in Colfax.

Also surviving is a daughter, Sherrilyn Ganske, Champaign, IL, one sister, Jeannine (John) Fischer, Meadows Mennonite Retirement Community, Chenoa, IL, four nieces and nephews, and two great nephews.

Mrs. Rice was a 1936 graduate of Cooksville High School and a 1940 graduate of Bradley University. After graduation she taught school at Franklin Park High School for one year and Keithsburg High School for two years. She worked for a government office in Springfield and later at Northern Illinois Gas until the summer of 1946. After marriage she lived in Mossville until she moved to a farm near Cooksville. Wava and her husband Fletcher moved to a farmhouse near Colfax in 1962. She enjoyed sewing for others and took sewing and craft classes. She did numerous shows at Eastland and College Hills malls and other local events. Wava and Fletcher also enjoyed going to the US Army's 120th Ordinance Company reunions, which were held all over the country.

She was a member of the Union Church of Cooksville and the women's group within her church. She was a 62 year member of the Homemakers Extension Association and was a 4-H leader for 10 years.