Marcelle Lynne Rice

Marcelle L. Rice, age 73, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, June 26, 2025, peacefully at her home in Meridian, Idaho.

 Marcelle was born on February 4, 1952, in Chico, California, to Alfred “Al” and Garry “Gari” (Faulkner) Grider. She grew up in Chico, where she attended Chico High School. It was there, in her junior year of 1969, that she met the love of her life, Randy Rice. She graduated in 1970 and later went on to earn a double degree in Microbiology and Chemistry from Chico State. 

In 1974, Marcelle and Randy married in their hometown of Chico. In 1977, they moved to Susanville, California, to start a family.

Marcelle gave birth to three boys over the next 5 years before her passion for teaching and science led her to her first professional role as a Science teacher for Calvary Academy in Susanville. At Calvary she was known, as one former student recalls, for being “creative & scholarly, firm & funny”. Her love for science and her desire to learn led her into her next role in the early 90s as a Wildlife Biologist with the Lassen National Forest. She also took the 32-hour Basic Firefighter course during her time with the Forest Service and went on fire assignments with as part of hand crews. After the Forest Service, she served her community as an EMT & EMS dispatcher for six years. Marcellle still had a calling toward teaching after those jobs as she returned to teaching as a substitute in her later professional years. 

Marcelle was extremely creative and artistic. She hand-crafted hundreds of unique Christmas stockings for family and anyone that wanted or needed them. Her beautiful china paintings were displayed at the Seagull Inn in Mendocino, and her artwork, including a one-of-a-kind Goshawk painting, was featured by the Lassen National Forest for sweatshirt sales. Her artistry was an extension of her generous spirit—always giving, always uplifting. 

Marcelle cherished the outdoors and loved exploring. Whether at the ocean, hiking in the mountains, or exploring the deserts of Death Valley, she felt most at peace in the great outdoors. One of her favorite National Parks was Death Valley which led her to serve as a board member of the Death Valley Natural History Association.

 Above all, Marcelle was a devoted wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and friend. She was a guiding light to her family and community—always ready with encouragement, wisdom, and a listening ear.

 Marcelle is survived by her husband of 51 years, Randy Rice; her three sons: Joel of Nampa, Idaho; Casey of Clovis, California; and Levi of Eureka, California; her sisters, Sandi Sos and Vicki Nagos, both of Chico, California; and eight grandchildren.