Barbara Ellen Norville Rice, age 85, formerly of Bertrand, died Saturday, June 26, 2021, at her home in Houston, MO.

She was born December 29, 1935, in Tennessee, to the late Samuel Norville and Della Boyer Tatum.   She was raised by her mother and stepfather, the late James Tatum.    As a young lady, the family lived in Arizona before moving to Mississippi County, MO where she lived most of her life.  She and her husband moved to Houston, MO a few years ago.   She was a member of the Old Bethel Baptist Church near Sikeston.

On December 14, 1982, she married Lloyd Rice, who survives of the home at Houston, MO.

Also surviving are her children, Jimmy Owens and Mark Owens of East Prairie; David Rice of Fredericktown, MO; Kathy Archie of Houston; Melinda Mathis of Bertrand; Sandra Williams of Houston; Lori Wasbutski of West Paducah, KY and Teresa Esquivel of Auburn Hills, MI; her sisters, Donna Youngblood of East Prairie and Joyce Manker of Benton; a number of grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren; as well as nieces, nephews and cousins.

In addition to her father, mother and stepfather, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Lori Bell; two grandsons, Justin Owens and Jathon Owens; great grandson, Austin Willingham; her brothers, Harold Tatum and John Frank "Johnny" Norville and her sister, Ruth Kerr.

Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the funeral hour at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 30, 2021, at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.  Steve Vester will officiate.

Interment will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield under the direction of McMikle Funeral Home of Charleston.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17; Chicago, IL 60601.