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Miriam J. Rice

Miriam J. Burkhart Rice, 95, a former resident of Huntington, IN, died Saturday, April 3, 2010, at 7:03 p.m. at Heritage Pointe, Warren.

Mrs. Rice was a 1932 graduate of Clear Creek high School and a member of the Huntington County Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

She retired from Whitley County Memorial Hospital, where she had worked as food services director for nine years. She had also worked for JCPenney in Huntington for nine years.

She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, the church's Women's Circle, Order of the Eastern Star Floral Chapter 75, Huntington Memorial Hospital Guild and the Rebekah Lodge, all in Huntington. She was also a member of the Red Hatters of Heritage Pointe.

She was born Feb. 3, 1915, in Shelby County to Arthur G. and Dorothy Mae Marshall Hilligoss. She married Eldon F. Burkhart on Oct. 20, 1934, in Huntington County; he preceded her in death on Dec. 13, 1977. She married Gerald O. Rice on July 21, 1984; he preceded her in death on March 25, 2005.

Survivors include three daughters, Janelle (Ronald) Jackson, of Fort Wayne; Janet Sue Miltenberger, of Fishers; and Jean Ann (Ray) Shipley, of Las Cruces, NM; two stepdaughters, Janet Sue (Donald S.) Willis, of Ormond Beach, FL, and Carla (David) Knoop, of College Station, TX; a brother, Max Hilligoss, of Columbia City; six grandchildren, Kim (Ken) Pedersen and Bret (Brenda) Jackson, both of Fort Wayne; Scott (Rolanda) Miltenberger and Mike (Cindy) Miltenberger, both of Indianapolis; Wendy Shipley, of Concord, CA; and John (Kathy) Shipley of El Paso, TX; three step-grandchildren, Douglas (Teri) Willis, of Sorrento, FL; Diane Douglas (Ed) Cortright, of Fairview, NC; and Kris (Jacque) Knoop, of College Station, TX; 11 great-grandchildren; six stepgreat-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

Calling is Wednesday, April 7, 2010, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Applegate Chapel of Heritage Pointe, 801 Huntington Ave., Warren. Additional calling will be held Wednesday, April 7, 2010, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Bailey-Love Mortuary, 35 W. Park Drive, Huntington. A service will be held at the funeral home on Thursday, April 8, 2010, at 10 a.m., with calling one hour prior to the service. Rev. David Ballinger will officiate. Burial will be at Beech Grove Cemetery, Huntington County.

Preferred memorials are gifts to the Trinity United Methodist Church Cottage Fund or Family Hospice and Palliative Care of Berne in care of Bailey-Love Mortuary, 35 W. Park Drive, Huntington, IN 46750.

To sign the online guest book, visit www.baileylove.com.