Grace Sutton Rice

Grace Sutton Rice, 90, of Las Vegas, Nevada, passed away after a long illness on October 3, 2014, she was under the care of hospice. Grace Ida Sutton Rice was born in Archer, Idaho on February 24, 1924 to Charles Vestal Sutton and Ida Allen Sutton. She was raised in Archer and enjoyed spending time her many cousins picking wild flowers, swimming and trips to the mountains to pick huckleberries. There were trips to Yellowstone Park, and the summer was not complete without many trips to Heise Hot Springs. Her school years were spent in Archer until her junior year. Then they were bused to Rexburg where she graduated in 1942. She had four good friends all through her school years; Myra, Lorna, Beulah and Anita. She married classmate Ellis Austin Rice in 1942 in Rexburg; their marriage was later solemnized in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. They spent their first summer in West Yellowstone working. In 1943 she and her firstborn daughter, Linda moved home to live with her parents while her husband served overseas during WWII. After the war they moved to Lorenzo where their second daughter Lana joined the family. In 1950 they bought a new home in Idaho Falls and welcomed their third daughter, Arlene. Several winters were spent in Tucson, Arizona for work, then they settled in Ucon, Idaho; the last three of the family, David, Lisa and Brett were born while living there. In 1965 the family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. Grace went to work for the Post Office in 1967 working as a mail sorter and retired in 1992. The family spent many years enjoying Lake Mead with family and friends. After the children were grown, Grace and Ellis took many vacations all over the USA. They spent many summers in Idaho. They learned to play golf and loved the hours walking the fairways with friends. Grace was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Grace is survived by her children, Linda (Alton) Erickson, of Idaho Falls, Lana Blaidsell of Cameron, North Carolina, Arlene Phillips of Las Vegas, Nevada, David (Cindy) Rice of Las Vegas, Nevada, Brett Rice of Pocatello, 14 grandchildren, 21 great –grandchildren and 9 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Ellis, daughter, Lisa Cummings, and brothers, Mark Sutton and LaRelle Sutton. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, October 9, 2014 at Eckersell Memorial Chapel, 101 West Main Street, Rigby. A graveside service will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 10, 2014 at the Sutton Cemetery in Archer, Idaho.