Lydia Lucretia McKeehan Rice

Lydia Lucretia McKeehan Rice, 95, entered her Heavenly home on Saturday, February 16, 2013 in Hilton Head, South Carolina. She was born in Lily, Kentucky on July 9, 1917 and grew up in Corbin and London, Kentucky. She was a member of the Tenth Street Baptist Church in Palmetto, FL and also had attended Slate Branch Baptist Church in Somerset, KY and Bible Baptist Church in Hilton Head, SC. Lydia was a retired certified nursing assistant at the Hamilton County Nursing Home in Hamilton, OH. Lydia loved the Lord Jesus Christ with all her heart and soul, witnessing daily, even to her doctors and nurses this past week. She always lived what she believed. She loved people. While setting a Christ-like example before them, Lydia understood and had a heart for the youth groups with whom she worked in the churches. For over 60 years she was a gracious, compassionate and devoted minister's wife; working by her late husband's side, Rev. Orden Rice, in the churches where he was pastor. No daughter could have been blessed with a more loving, nurturing, Christian mother who taught all the virtues of life in Christ and Biblical truths. Lydia was a saintly, loyal and devoted daughter, sister, aunt, wife, daughter-in-law, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, teacher and friend. Lydia often welcomed her own family members and the family members of her late husband into her home, caring for them as long as they wanted or needed to stay. Lydia touched the lives and hearts of all who knew her and they were never the same. All who were privileged to know Lydia Rice loved her, felt that they had been blessed and "touched by an Angel". Lydia is survived by her beloved family; daughter and only child, Gladys Faye Rice (Donald Franklin) Knorr of Bluffton, SC; granddaughters, Andrea Lucretia Knorr (Thomas Joseph) Anton and great grandchildren, Megan Leigh, Theodore Thomas III, Tyler Michael, Kristopher Joseph and Kasey Donald of Manitowoc, WI; and Lydia Marlene Knorr (Owen Keith) Smith and great grandchildren, Jeremy Owen, Nathan Robert and Sophia Rose of Bluffton, SC; grandson, Orden Wilhelm (Jennifer Mae) Knorr and great grandchildren, Cameron Scott and Emma Annalise of Silverdale, WA, Kyla Elizabeth, US Navy, Travis Walker of Highland City, FL and Codi Alexander of Manitowoc, WI; sister, Carol Jean Timpe of Loveland, OH; brother, Adam Benjamin (Geneva) McKeehan of Mason, OH, niece, June Elliott Haverly of Corbin, KY and great niece, Terri Haverly (Gary) Barth of Sebastian, FL, the only two surviving links to her mother's family; many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews; sisters-in-law, Linda McKeehan of Lexington, KY; Gladys Ruth Rice Lay of Science Hill and Jewell Rice Sanders of Morgantown, IN; brothers-in-law, Rev. Olive (Geneva) Rice of Neptune Beach, FL, James Harry (Lena) Rice of Milford, OH and Johnny Ward of Science Hill. Lydia was preceded in death by her beloved family; husband of 63 years, Rev. Orden Rice; parents, Susan Parker Elliott McKeehan and Adam Harrison McKeehan; step-mother, Sallie Hertel Helton McKeehan; great aunt, Nan and great uncle Lefe Jones, who kindly and lovingly helped raise her; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Dora Belle Gosnell Rice and Rev. Pete Rice; sisters, Malinda McKeehan, Naomi McKeehan (Abraham) Akal and step sister, Ruth Helton (David) Jones; brothers, Arnold McKeehan, Luther (Ottie) McKeehan, Elmer (Myrtle) Elliott, William (Martha) Elliott, William (Betty) McKeehan, Rudolph (Veryl) McKeehan and step-brother, Paul (Veryl) Helton; aunts, Bertha McKeehan Moran, Clara McKeehan Elliott, Della McKeehan, Jane McKeehan, Leora McKeehan Taylor, Nora McKeehan May, May McKeehan Elliott, Ruth McKeehan Logan, Sylvia McKeehan and Vergie McKeehan; uncles, David McKeehan, Henderson McKeehan, Leander McKeehan, Leon McKeehan, Lloyd McKeehan, Norman McKeehan and Wesley McKeehan; nephew-in-law, Curtis Haverly; sisters-in-law, Cora Lee Rice (Albert) Henegar, Norma Jean Rice Ward, Genevieve Rice (Cornelius) Hargis, Flora Belle Rice (John) Goode and brothers-in-law, Joseph Lee Rice, George Timpe, Arnold Lee (Kim) Rice, Alvin C. Lay Sr. and Harley Steven Rice. A funeral service will be held at 1 PM Wednesday, February 20, 2013 at Morris & Hislope Funeral Home with Rev. Bill Dawson officiating. Burial will be in McKinney Cemetery. Visitation will be after 6 PM Tuesday at Morris & Hislope Funeral Home. Morris & Hislope Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.