Dr. Bobby Jean Rice, 84, of the East Fork community of Madison County, passed away peacefully at home on August 8, 2022. She was the daughter of the late Dolph Peek and Gertrude Ingle Peek.
She is survived by her husband of 56 years McClelland Rice; son: Brandle Rice of the home, sister: Tommy Ann Blackwell (Bobby); nephew: Bobby Scott Blackwell (Cindy) of Moravian Falls, NC; great nephews: Dakota Blackwell, Wesley Blackwell, Nick Cifaido; great-nieces: Karlee Blackwell, Ella Blackwell, Ashley Bebber; great-great nephew: Carter Harris; as well as many cousins which she loved dearly.
Dr. Rice was a graduate of Mars Hill College, Appalachian State University and East Tennessee State University. She taught at Walnut Elementary, Marshall Elementary, North Buncombe High, as well as teaching math at Mars Hill College.
Dr. Rice loved the Madison County School System where she held many positions: teacher, supervisor of education, associate superintendent, and a school board member. She was also named to who’s who in Education and Society of Phi Kappa Phi.
Most of all she loved teaching Sunday school, playing piano and organ at Peek’s Chapel and Grapevine Baptist Churches.
A funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm on Thursday, August 11, 2022, in Robbie Capps Memorial Chapel of Blue Ridge Funeral Service with Reverends Danny Jenkins and Stanley Peek officiating. Serving as pallbearers will be Bobby Scott Blackwell, Dakota Blackwell, Sammy Peek, Sidney Peek, Tarshell Peek. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in the chapel. Following the service, Bobby Jean will be laid to rest at Dill Peek Cemetery on East Fork Road.
The family would like to give a special thank you to Helen Proffitt and Cheryl Ramsey.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blueridgefuneralservice.org