Mary Aurelia Rice

We are sad to announce that on December 10, 2021, at the age of 83, Mary Aurelia (Rabe) Rice (Fort Mitchell, Kentucky) passed away in Cincinnati, OH at the University of Cincinnati Hospital, after receiving the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.  She was born in Covington, Kentucky on November 23, 1938, the daughter of the late Ferdinand “Ferd” Aloysius and Aurelia Mary (Hellmann) Rabe. She was a devout Roman Catholic and a lifelong parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Church in Fort Mitchell, KY. 

After attending Blessed Sacrament Grade School, Villa Madonna Academy, and Our Lady of Cincinnati College, she taught at Mary Queen of Heaven Grade School in Erlanger, KY, prior to her marriage to Glenn Edward Rice, Sr. in June, 1961.  Mary Aurelia and Glenn raised their six children in Fort Mitchell. Their home was filled with love and often many family and friends.  Saturday evening dinners and Sunday morning breakfasts that included family, extended family, and friends were common.  Mary Aurelia was selfless and loved being with family, including all of the associated commotion and noise. Mary Aurelia and Glenn recently celebrated the 60^th anniversary of their wedding and their happy years together.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved son, Christopher of Fort Mitchell, KY, brothers Ferd A. Rabe, jr. of Crestview Hills, KY, George F. Rabe of Lexington, KY, and Walter J. Rabe of Annandale, Virginia.  She is survived by her sons, Glenn E. jr. (Nancy), Daniel J. (Katrina), and David P. (Shannon) Rice and her daughters, Aurelia Mary (John) Theissen and Jennifer Ann Rice, and by her 20 grandchildren, Tim, Bridget, Glenn (III), George, David (jr.), Becky, Emily, Katie, Maria, Matthew, Peter, Christian, Sarah, Patrick, Mary, Joe, Jimmy, Aurelia, Caroline, and Ben.  She is also survived by two brothers, J. David Rabe and Frank P. Rabe, of Northern Kentucky and a sister, Carol Ann Readnour, of Northern Kentucky and over 90 nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, as well as a number of lifelong friends, several of whom attended Blessed Sacrament Grade School and Villa Madonna Academy with Mary Aurelia. Visitation will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky on Saturday, December 18, 2021, from 8:00 until 10:00 a.m., immediately followed by a Roman Catholic Funeral Mass and internment at Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Fort Mitchell.  A reception celebrating Mary Aurelia’s life will be held in the Blessed Sacrament Church undercroft following the Mass and internment. In lieu of flowers, donations to Blessed Sacrament Church (2409 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell, KY); The Passionist Nuns Monastery (1151 Donaldson Highway, Erlanger, KY 41018); or the Christopher Andrew Rice Memorial Scholarship at Saint Xavier High School (600 West North Bend Road, Cincinnati Ohio 452245) are encouraged.