A Tribute to our Mom, Bess Rice!

There are some people so special, so deeply woven into the fabric of your life, that finding the words to describe them feels impossible. Our mom, Bess Rice, was one of those people.

She wasn’t just our mother. She was our safe place, our teacher, our biggest supporter, and one of the greatest blessings God ever gave us.

“If I could have chosen a mother myself, I would have chosen her every single time.” -Kitty

Mom grew up in Brenham, Texas, and spent a short time in Gatesville when she was very young. She loved sharing stories about Brenham and the traditions she grew up with, especially Maifest. Being part of a community with such rich history helped shape the woman she became—a woman who deeply valued family, heritage, education, and kindness.

She had a brilliant mind. Mom attended Georgetown University, earning both her undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts and her Master’s Degree in Latin Studies. She was a member of the Phi Gamma Mu National Social Science Honor Society and had a lifelong love of history, language, literature, and learning.

To say she was intelligent would be an understatement. She was a walking encyclopedia, a living dictionary, and somehow seemed to know the answer to almost everything. She could have won every spelling competition! I honestly don’t know how she kept so much knowledge in her mind! She rarely had to look anything up. She simply knew.

But what made Mom extraordinary wasn’t just her intelligence—it was her heart.

She was the kindest person I have ever known.

She had a gentle spirit and a way of making people feel important, heard, and valued. She treated others with respect and compassion, regardless of who they were. She never sought attention for herself and never expected recognition for the good she did. She simply lived her life with grace.

That doesn’t mean she wasn’t strong.

If anyone messed with her children or grandchildren, they were going to hear from her. She would stand up for the people she loved without hesitation. Yet even then, she somehow managed to be diplomatic, thoughtful, and composed. Looking back, I don’t know how she did it. She had a gift for handling difficult situations with wisdom and dignity.

Mom loved history and the arts. She was an incredibly talented artist and found joy in creating. She appreciated beauty, creativity, and culture in all its forms. She also had a wonderful sense of humor and loved British comedy, especially Mr. Bean. Some of my favorite memories are of her laughing so hard at something silly that everyone around her couldn’t help but laugh too.

She spent many years working for The University of Texas. While working on the main campus, she experienced one of the most frightening days in the university’s history. Shortly before she was supposed to leave for lunch during the 1966 Tower shooting, she received a call warning employees to stay where they were because a sniper was on the tower. It was a terrifying experience that she never forgot. Later, she worked at the J. J. Pickle Research Campus, where she would eventually retire after years of dedicated service. Later in life, she worked as the Spanish teacher for the Asian American Culture Center during the years the eldest two grandchildren attended school there!

One of my favorite parts of Mom’s story is her love story with our dad. They met at Arthur Murray Dance Studio, where they were dance partners. What started with dancing quickly became something much more. After only six months of dating, Dad knew he had found the love of his life and asked her to marry him.

The beautiful thing is that he was right.

Growing up, we watched a marriage built on respect, friendship, patience, and genuine love. We never heard our parents fight. Not once. They faced challenges the way true partners do—together. They listened to each other, supported one another, and worked through life’s difficulties as a team. Even after all those years, they still looked at each other with love. Their relationship showed what a healthy marriage should look like.

Above everything else, Mom loved her family.

She loved her children fiercely. She adored her grandchildren beyond measure. Nothing made her happier than spending time with the people she loved. We were her greatest joy, and she made sure we knew it every day.

The hardest part about writing this is knowing there are so many things left unsaid.

How do you summarize a lifetime of love? How do you explain the comfort of a mother’s voice, the warmth of her hugs, or the way she could make everything feel okay? How do you capture the countless lessons, conversations, laughs, and memories that made her who she was?

The truth is, you can’t.

There are not enough words.

What I can say is that we were blessed beyond measure to be her daughter, son, grandkids!

We are truly grateful for every lesson she taught us, every story she shared, every sacrifice she made, every laugh we enjoyed, and every moment we spent together.

We miss her more than words can express.

But, we also know that love does not end when someone leaves this world. Her love remains in the hearts of her children, her grandchildren, and everyone fortunate enough to know her. It lives on in the values she taught us, the kindness she showed us, and the memories we will carry forever.

Mom, thank you for loving us so completely.

Thank you for being our guide, our example, and our home.

You were truly one of God’s greatest gifts to us and we will spend the rest of our life’s grateful that we got to call you our mother and grandmother (grandmu as Bryan would say when he first tried to say grandmother)

Until we meet again, we love you.

Forever and always,

Love Your Kiddos

Kittlyn (Kitty) Jane,

 Jeremiah,

William (Bill)

Tammy (she saw as one of her own)

Grandchildren

Bryan and his wife Nina and their fur babies

Princess Zoë and husband Ian

Paisley

Lily

Serena (family who she considered a grandchild)

4 fur grandchildren

1 feathered grandchild

Miss Behaving (cat)

Wild• cat (cat)

Suga•Wafflz (dog)

Clover (dog)

Bluberry (bird)

And

Fur great•grandbabies

Bess was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Marvin Rice; her dear friend, Julie Jenkyn, and Julie’s husband, Peter; her cherished friend Leo Sacchi; beloved family friends and godparents to her children, Bob and Edwinna Matson; her parents, Leslie and Mildred Guggolz; her Aunt Maureen, Mildred’s sister; her cousin, Tom Guggolz; Marvin’s brothers, Buford,  Elvis and their wives; and family member Rene Ruan.

She is survived by her loving children: 

William Rice; Kitty Rice Scribblz ,

Jeremiah,

 Tammy,

Connie and her children.

She also leaves behind her treasured grandchildren: Bryan and his wife, Nina; Princess Zoë and her husband, Ian; Paisley; Lily; and Serena, a beloved young family member whom Bess loved as one of her own grandchildren.

She is further survived by her cousins, Hal Joseph Guggolz; his sister, Eloise Guggolz Steed and her husband, Michael; and their daughter, Hallie Parker Steed.

Bess is lovingly remembered by her extended family, including Teresa Crabb and her husband, Timothy, and their children, Kitt and Kirby, along with Kirby’s husband and child; Ken Rice and his wife, Laura, and their children, Kendall Chavez and her husband, Ramon, and their children, and Allyson Lake and her husband, Michael, and their children; Larry Rice and his wife, Kim, and their children, Jessie Rice and his wife, Kaylin, and their children, and Colby Rice.

She is also survived by lifelong friend Gene Katzburg and her husband, Allen, and their children; dear friend Carolyn Sacchi; longtime friend Nancy Wong; and the children of Julie and Peter Jenkyn—Racheal, Betsy, Scott, and Alex—along with their spouses, or significant others, and children.

The family would like to remember not only the relatives connected by blood, but also the many dear friends who became family throughout Bess’s life. Her home, heart, and table were always open to those she loved. The friendships she nurtured over a lifetime were among her greatest treasures, and the love she shared with others will continue to live on in all who were blessed to know her.

She will be deeply missed, forever loved, and always remembered. ♥️