Elsie was a loving wife and devoted mother and grandmother, and joyful great-grandmother. She was so happy to have lived long enough to know her two great-grandsons.
She was the 9th of 11 children born to Charlie Lee Rice and Bessie Alexander Rice of Scottdale, Georgia (2 of that 11 --Ralph Owen and Sarah Helen--were stillborn). Her grandparents were John William Rice and Martha Hinton Rice of Lithonia, GA and James William Alexander and Mary Elizabeth Quinn Alexander of Scottdale, GA. Elsie adored and was very close to her mother Bessie and was heart-broken when her mother died suddenly. She never quite got over losing her mother though she shared those special memories with her own children.
She was born in Decatur, GA (near Scottdale) in July 1928. She married Toy Martin in December 1945. They lived in Scottdale until about 1954 when the family moved to Stone Mountain. She attended Scottdale Elementary School and Avondale High School. She worked at Scottdale Mill and several other places, but her favorite jobs were as a waitress at Long's Drug Store in Atlanta (when she was a teenager)and at Fru-Art printing company later in life. She loved telling stories about those times.
Like every young girl, she had many special hopes and dreams, many of which came to pass and some did not. She was loved by all who knew her, for her kindness, sense of humor, and for her knack of listening to your problems without judgment.
Elsie loved school and loved reading and learning, and she attended Scottdale Elementary School in Scottdale, GA and Avondale High School in Avondale, GA. While a student, she memorized two poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and could recite both of them by heart for as long as she lived. They were "The Song of Hiawatha" and "The Village Smithy."
Elsie and Toy lived in various places, including Scottdale, Stone Mountain, Lawrenceville, and Dacula. Her home in Dacula was her pride and joy and she had it beautifully decorated, a comfortable and cozy cottage. She loved rearranging furniture and you never knew from visit to visit where her sofa or chairs would be! She was an excellent cook. Nobody could resist her fresh baked biscuits, fried corn and okra, homemade vegetable soup made from the produce from her garden, followed by a hot buttery blackberry cobbler! She was famous for those dishes, but everything she cooked was delicious.
After she was widowed, she eventually began to travel. She epecially enjoyed Las Vegas and Biloxi. She couldn't wait for every trip that she took with friends and relatives. She remained conservative, even in the casinos, only using the nickel and quarter slot machines, always mindful of what she was doing but having the time of her life.
Elsie loved life and lived it to the fullest, but had become increasingly ill during her last couple of years. My loving mother, Elsie Lorene Rice Martin, died suddenly and unexpectedly at Saint Joseph's Hospital April 22, 2003, age 74 years, 9 months, 7 days, while undergoing a routine heart procedure. She is missed every day by her children and all her family. She was very much loved and always will be remembered. She was an "angel on earth" to her family and friends.
She was survived by two daughters, one son, five grandsons, two great-grandsons; two sisters, one brother, many nieces and nephews, one sister-in-law and one brother-in-law.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, her parents, her brothers Lester and Lawson Rice; her sisters Louise Griffin, Miriam Ausburn, Margaret Warbington, nephews Ronnie, Jimmy, and R.L. Rice and niece Donna Daniel.
Arrangements: Wages Oaklawn Chapel Funeral Home, Lawrenceville, GA
*Elsie's only son, Mike, died August 30, 2010.
She was the 9th of 11 children born to Charlie Lee Rice and Bessie Alexander Rice of Scottdale, Georgia (2 of that 11 --Ralph Owen and Sarah Helen--were stillborn). Her grandparents were John William Rice and Martha Hinton Rice of Lithonia, GA and James William Alexander and Mary Elizabeth Quinn Alexander of Scottdale, GA. Elsie adored and was very close to her mother Bessie and was heart-broken when her mother died suddenly. She never quite got over losing her mother though she shared those special memories with her own children.
She was born in Decatur, GA (near Scottdale) in July 1928. She married Toy Martin in December 1945. They lived in Scottdale until about 1954 when the family moved to Stone Mountain. She attended Scottdale Elementary School and Avondale High School. She worked at Scottdale Mill and several other places, but her favorite jobs were as a waitress at Long's Drug Store in Atlanta (when she was a teenager)and at Fru-Art printing company later in life. She loved telling stories about those times.
Like every young girl, she had many special hopes and dreams, many of which came to pass and some did not. She was loved by all who knew her, for her kindness, sense of humor, and for her knack of listening to your problems without judgment.
Elsie loved school and loved reading and learning, and she attended Scottdale Elementary School in Scottdale, GA and Avondale High School in Avondale, GA. While a student, she memorized two poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and could recite both of them by heart for as long as she lived. They were "The Song of Hiawatha" and "The Village Smithy."
Elsie and Toy lived in various places, including Scottdale, Stone Mountain, Lawrenceville, and Dacula. Her home in Dacula was her pride and joy and she had it beautifully decorated, a comfortable and cozy cottage. She loved rearranging furniture and you never knew from visit to visit where her sofa or chairs would be! She was an excellent cook. Nobody could resist her fresh baked biscuits, fried corn and okra, homemade vegetable soup made from the produce from her garden, followed by a hot buttery blackberry cobbler! She was famous for those dishes, but everything she cooked was delicious.
After she was widowed, she eventually began to travel. She epecially enjoyed Las Vegas and Biloxi. She couldn't wait for every trip that she took with friends and relatives. She remained conservative, even in the casinos, only using the nickel and quarter slot machines, always mindful of what she was doing but having the time of her life.
Elsie loved life and lived it to the fullest, but had become increasingly ill during her last couple of years. My loving mother, Elsie Lorene Rice Martin, died suddenly and unexpectedly at Saint Joseph's Hospital April 22, 2003, age 74 years, 9 months, 7 days, while undergoing a routine heart procedure. She is missed every day by her children and all her family. She was very much loved and always will be remembered. She was an "angel on earth" to her family and friends.
She was survived by two daughters, one son, five grandsons, two great-grandsons; two sisters, one brother, many nieces and nephews, one sister-in-law and one brother-in-law.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, her parents, her brothers Lester and Lawson Rice; her sisters Louise Griffin, Miriam Ausburn, Margaret Warbington, nephews Ronnie, Jimmy, and R.L. Rice and niece Donna Daniel.
Arrangements: Wages Oaklawn Chapel Funeral Home, Lawrenceville, GA
*Elsie's only son, Mike, died August 30, 2010.
Elsie was a loving wife and devoted mother and grandmother, and joyful great-grandmother. She was so happy to have lived long enough to know her two great-grandsons.
She was the 9th of 11 children born to Charlie Lee Rice and Bessie Alexander Rice of Scottdale, Georgia (2 of that 11 --Ralph Owen and Sarah Helen--were stillborn). Her grandparents were John William Rice and Martha Hinton Rice of Lithonia, GA and James William Alexander and Mary Elizabeth Quinn Alexander of Scottdale, GA. Elsie adored and was very close to her mother Bessie and was heart-broken when her mother died suddenly. She never quite got over losing her mother though she shared those special memories with her own children.
She was born in Decatur, GA (near Scottdale) in July 1928. She married Toy Martin in December 1945. They lived in Scottdale until about 1954 when the family moved to Stone Mountain. She attended Scottdale Elementary School and Avondale High School. She worked at Scottdale Mill and several other places, but her favorite jobs were as a waitress at Long's Drug Store in Atlanta (when she was a teenager)and at Fru-Art printing company later in life. She loved telling stories about those times.
Like every young girl, she had many special hopes and dreams, many of which came to pass and some did not. She was loved by all who knew her, for her kindness, sense of humor, and for her knack of listening to your problems without judgment.
Elsie loved school and loved reading and learning, and she attended Scottdale Elementary School in Scottdale, GA and Avondale High School in Avondale, GA. While a student, she memorized two poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and could recite both of them by heart for as long as she lived. They were "The Song of Hiawatha" and "The Village Smithy."
Elsie and Toy lived in various places, including Scottdale, Stone Mountain, Lawrenceville, and Dacula. Her home in Dacula was her pride and joy and she had it beautifully decorated, a comfortable and cozy cottage. She loved rearranging furniture and you never knew from visit to visit where her sofa or chairs would be! She was an excellent cook. Nobody could resist her fresh baked biscuits, fried corn and okra, homemade vegetable soup made from the produce from her garden, followed by a hot buttery blackberry cobbler! She was famous for those dishes, but everything she cooked was delicious.
After she was widowed, she eventually began to travel. She epecially enjoyed Las Vegas and Biloxi. She couldn't wait for every trip that she took with friends and relatives. She remained conservative, even in the casinos, only using the nickel and quarter slot machines, always mindful of what she was doing but having the time of her life.
Elsie loved life and lived it to the fullest, but had become increasingly ill during her last couple of years. My loving mother, Elsie Lorene Rice Martin, died suddenly and unexpectedly at Saint Joseph's Hospital April 22, 2003, age 74 years, 9 months, 7 days, while undergoing a routine heart procedure. She is missed every day by her children and all her family. She was very much loved and always will be remembered. She was an "angel on earth" to her family and friends.
She was survived by two daughters, one son, five grandsons, two great-grandsons; two sisters, one brother, many nieces and nephews, one sister-in-law and one brother-in-law.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, her parents, her brothers Lester and Lawson Rice; her sisters Louise Griffin, Miriam Ausburn, Margaret Warbington, nephews Ronnie, Jimmy, and R.L. Rice and niece Donna Daniel.
Arrangements: Wages Oaklawn Chapel Funeral Home, Lawrenceville, GA
*Elsie's only son, Mike, died August 30, 2010.
She was the 9th of 11 children born to Charlie Lee Rice and Bessie Alexander Rice of Scottdale, Georgia (2 of that 11 --Ralph Owen and Sarah Helen--were stillborn). Her grandparents were John William Rice and Martha Hinton Rice of Lithonia, GA and James William Alexander and Mary Elizabeth Quinn Alexander of Scottdale, GA. Elsie adored and was very close to her mother Bessie and was heart-broken when her mother died suddenly. She never quite got over losing her mother though she shared those special memories with her own children.
She was born in Decatur, GA (near Scottdale) in July 1928. She married Toy Martin in December 1945. They lived in Scottdale until about 1954 when the family moved to Stone Mountain. She attended Scottdale Elementary School and Avondale High School. She worked at Scottdale Mill and several other places, but her favorite jobs were as a waitress at Long's Drug Store in Atlanta (when she was a teenager)and at Fru-Art printing company later in life. She loved telling stories about those times.
Like every young girl, she had many special hopes and dreams, many of which came to pass and some did not. She was loved by all who knew her, for her kindness, sense of humor, and for her knack of listening to your problems without judgment.
Elsie loved school and loved reading and learning, and she attended Scottdale Elementary School in Scottdale, GA and Avondale High School in Avondale, GA. While a student, she memorized two poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and could recite both of them by heart for as long as she lived. They were "The Song of Hiawatha" and "The Village Smithy."
Elsie and Toy lived in various places, including Scottdale, Stone Mountain, Lawrenceville, and Dacula. Her home in Dacula was her pride and joy and she had it beautifully decorated, a comfortable and cozy cottage. She loved rearranging furniture and you never knew from visit to visit where her sofa or chairs would be! She was an excellent cook. Nobody could resist her fresh baked biscuits, fried corn and okra, homemade vegetable soup made from the produce from her garden, followed by a hot buttery blackberry cobbler! She was famous for those dishes, but everything she cooked was delicious.
After she was widowed, she eventually began to travel. She epecially enjoyed Las Vegas and Biloxi. She couldn't wait for every trip that she took with friends and relatives. She remained conservative, even in the casinos, only using the nickel and quarter slot machines, always mindful of what she was doing but having the time of her life.
Elsie loved life and lived it to the fullest, but had become increasingly ill during her last couple of years. My loving mother, Elsie Lorene Rice Martin, died suddenly and unexpectedly at Saint Joseph's Hospital April 22, 2003, age 74 years, 9 months, 7 days, while undergoing a routine heart procedure. She is missed every day by her children and all her family. She was very much loved and always will be remembered. She was an "angel on earth" to her family and friends.
She was survived by two daughters, one son, five grandsons, two great-grandsons; two sisters, one brother, many nieces and nephews, one sister-in-law and one brother-in-law.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, her parents, her brothers Lester and Lawson Rice; her sisters Louise Griffin, Miriam Ausburn, Margaret Warbington, nephews Ronnie, Jimmy, and R.L. Rice and niece Donna Daniel.
Arrangements: Wages Oaklawn Chapel Funeral Home, Lawrenceville, GA
*Elsie's only son, Mike, died August 30, 2010.
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