Gladys M. (Witgen) Rice

     Gladys M. Rice, age 84, of Maple Rapids, MI, passed away Saturday, April 30, 2022, at her home.

     A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church, St. Johns, MI, at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, May 7, 2022, with Rev. Fr. Michael Williams officiating.  Burial will take place at Mt. Rest Cemetery, St. Johns, MI at a later date.  Visitation will be held on Friday, May 6, 2022 from 4:00-8:00 P.M. at Smith Family Funeral Homes- Osgood Chapel, St. Johns Chapel, MI.  A Vigil service will be held 7:30 P.M Friday at the funeral home.

     Gladys was born in Fowler, Michigan on August 28, 1937, the daughter of Frank and Mary (Pohl) Witgen.  Gladys married Donald C. "Donnie" Rice, the love of her life, on August 13, 1955 at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Fowler, MI, who she met as a sophomore in High School.  They were blessed with 62 years of marriage prior to his passing on February 4, 2018.

     Gladys was a loving wife, mother and grandmother and spent 30 years as a Materials Manager, 14 years at Clinton Memorial Hospital and 16 years at Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord.  She lived most of her life in Clinton County, but lived and worked in the Gaylord area for 16 years.  After retirement at age 70, Gladys and her husband moved back to Clinton County which they considered home.

     She had great fun in her life with 6 years of basketball, 40 years of competitive trap and skeet shooting throughout Michigan and Ohio.  She loved her job of 30 years as materials manager in two hospitals and her volunteer work as guild president and member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, choir member, money counter, usher and a volunteer at St. Vincent De Paul store. 

   She is survived by son Michael and Pam Rice of St. Johns, MI; daughter Cheryl and Gary Onstad of Hartland, MI; grandchildren: Kassi Rice, Eric Onstad, and Chelsea Onstad; sisters: Agatha Mankey and Joan Epkey; and brothers-in-law: Louis Powell and Robert Armbrustmacher. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Don, sisters:  Evelyn Wieber, Marie Powell and Alma Armbrustmacher; one brother Marvin Witgen, sisters-in-law: Ruth Witgen and Judith Rademacher Carter; and brothers-in-law: Claude Wieber, Bernard Mankey, Richard Schaefer, Vern Pung and Louis Epkey.

     Memorials may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church, St. Johns, MI 48879. Online condolences can be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, Michigan.