Betty Paschal-Rice

Betty May Paschal-Rice, 93, peacefully passed away on Saturday, February 4th, 2023 in Battle Creek Mi. Betty was born in Homer, Mi., to Nile D & Agnes(Market) Safford. She attended Homer High School and was a graduate of the Class of 1947. She was married to her first husband for 17yrs which ended in divorce. She had 5 children from that union. Betty later married her second husband, Frank Rice Jr, and their marriage lasted 49 1/2 years before it ended with his death in 2019. Betty worked in the Federal Center and later transferred to the Veterans administration Hospital in 1967 working as a disposition clerk. She worked there 20 years retiring in 1987. At that time she opened her small clothing shop in Battle Creek ( Betty's Casual Fashions) which was her dream to own her own shop. Betty had many interests which included ceramics that she worked on in her home and sold, she loved to sew, she was on many bowling leagues in Battle Creek in the 1980-1990s. She and her husband snowmobiled and were members of the local snowmobile club for many years. Betty joined the Women's Business Association in which she was a member for over 10 years. Betty was a member of the optimist club with her husband for years before entering the nursing facility. Betty was a long time member of Convis Methodist Church in Pennfield. Betty would communicate with her family daily but really enjoyed her grand children. Betty especially enjoyed communicating with the little ones on her video portal while she was at the nursing facility. They would read her stories and talk with her and she was able to watch them grow from her room which she loved. Betty was preceded in death by her second husband, Frank O Rice Jr who passed away in 2019. She is survived by her 5 children: Richard N (Shelley) Paschal, of Huntington In. Gloria M (Oren) Starks of Fairview TN. Rex E. (Susan) Paschal, of Battle Creek, MI. Glennda A (Mohinder) Chawdhry, of Battle Creek, MI. Sandy Iler of Stormville NY. She has 6 grand children, 13 great grand children and 1 great great grandchild. A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Fort Custer National Cemetery. www.henryfuneralhome.org