Lucille Jeanette Rice passed away February 19, 2009 at the age of 89. Although she spent the last few years of her life in Springfield, Lucille lived in Sweet Home for over 70 years.

Lucille was born to Leon and Florence McGee on July 5, 1919 in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. She had two sisters, Faye and Pat, and a brother named Sheldon.

Lucille was in the middle of high school when her family moved to Sweet Home, Oregon. She lived by herself in the Barton Motel, a boarding house, while finishing school. Lucille left on a train the morning after her high school graduation to join her family in Oregon.

While working in the office of Oregon Plywood, Lucille met her husband, Melvin. They were married in a double wedding ceremony with Melvin’s sister, Doreen, and her husband, Robert Cookson, on June 1, 1940. Although Melvin and Lucille only dated for six weeks, they were married for over 50 years. In that time, they raised their son, Dennis, and daughters, Nancy and Loretta.

Lucille was active in Royal Neighbors and Eastern Star. She also enjoyed volunteering for Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Rainbow Girls, and Meals on Wheels. Lucille spent many hours quilting with other members of Fir Lawn Lutheran Church. She also loved to dance and play pinochle with her friends at the Sweet Home Senior Center.

In her spare time, Lucille enjoyed crocheting and baking cookies. She baked so many cookies, in fact, that she was known throughout Sweet Home as The Cookie Lady.

Lucille is survived by her daughter, Loretta Hauk, of Alta Loma, California; her daughter, Nancy, and son-in-law, Gary Burnett, of Springfield, Oregon; her son, Dennis, and daughter-in-law, Daphne, of Portland, Oregon; her sister, Pat Sheets, of Santa Rosa, California; three grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and seven great, great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin Rice; her brother, Sheldon McGee; and her sister, Faye Smith.

A private internment has been held. A Celebration of Life will be held in Sweet Home at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lucille’s honor can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (http://www.alz.org).

Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling services.