Bernice Rice, 100, of Maddock, ND passed away Monday, May 2, 2016 at the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd in New Rockford, ND. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00PM Saturday, May 7, 2016 at the North Viking Lutheran Church in Maddock, ND with Pastor Allen Campbell officiating. Visitation will take place from 5:00PM to 7:00 PM Friday, May 6, 2016 at the Nelson Funeral Home in Maddock, ND and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will take place at the North Viking Cemetery in Maddock, ND. Memorials are preferred to the North Viking Church - 308 Central Ave, Maddock, ND 58348, the Maddock Memorial Home – 301 Roosevelt Ave Maddock, ND 58348 and the Maddock Swimming Pool.

Bernice Maureen (Estvold) Rice was born at home near Michigan, ND on April 23, 1916 to Arthur and Ella Estvold. The family moved to a farm near Lakota, ND in 1917 where she grew up. Bernice attended Mapes Consolidated School through grade 10 and graduated from Lakota High School in 1934. She attended Valley City Teacher's College for one year and obtained a certificate whereupon she taught at rural schools in Nelson County for two years. After taking correspondence courses and summer classes, she obtained a Standard Certificate and taught in Maddock and Cooperstown, ND. She attended Valley City State College and received her BS degree in Education and then resumed her teaching career in Maddock, ND.

She met her future husband Willard (Bill) Rice in Maddock and they were married in 1942 at Goldsboro, North Carolina where Bill was stationed in the United States Marine Corps. After WWII they settled in Maddock where they farmed and owned farm-related businesses. Bill died in 1972.

Bernice was an active member of the North Viking Lutheran Church in Maddock where she was involved with WELCA, Sunday school and youth activities. She was also active in the Maddock American Legion Auxiliary. She enjoyed cooking and entertaining, gardening, reading, bridge and visiting with her many friends and relatives.

Bernice and her family are very proud that her husband, a grandson, a granddaughter, one brother, nine brothers-in-law and one sister-in-law served in the armed forces in service to our country. Freedom does not come free!

Bernice is survived by a son, Wayne Rice of Fessenden, ND; daughters, Kathleen (Douglas) Oksendahl of Pelican Lake, MN and Patricia (Michael) Conlon of Fargo, ND; 7 grandchildren, Jessica (Charles) Mason-Hill, Andrew Rice, Jonathan Rice, David (Orie) Oksendahl, Christine (Paymon) Farazi, Paul Conlon and Elizabeth (Pablo) Gaito; 10 great-grandchildren; sister, Ethel Beckman of Shreveport, LA; sisters-in-law, Donna Rice, Geraldine Rice and Katherine Larson; brothers-in-law, Jay (Marjorie) Rice, Gene (Marjorie) Rice and David (Lois) Rice.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Willard; parents, Arthur and Ella Estvold; brothers, Wallace Estvold, Kenneth Estvold and Virgil Estvold; grandson, Christopher Rice; great-granddaughters, Annika and Ella Oksendahl; sisters-in-law Evelyn Burgess, Marie Rice, Jewell Lynner, Patricia Banko, Blanche Schmidt and Alice Harris and brothers-in-law, John Rice, Gerald Rice, Wallace Rice, Harley Rice and Michael Beckman.