Constance "Connie" Lucille Rice

About Connie

Constance (Connie) Lindow Rice of Park Rapids, MN, died on Monday, January 29, 2024, at St Joseph’s Hospital in Park Rapids, MN.

She was born on May 24, 1940, in Park Rapids, MN, to Thomas and Elsie (McGrane) Lindow. She grew up on the family farm in Nevis MN. She graduated from Nevis High School in 1958 and moved to Minneapolis to attend Minneapolis School of Business. There, she reunited with Larry Rice, a 1956 Nevis graduate. They were married on November 6, 1959, in Akeley, MN.

In 1963, they moved to Blaine, MN, where they raised their family. During these years, Connie was homemaker extraordinaire, sewing most of her family’s clothing, sometimes from her own patterns cut from newspaper, rearranging furniture at least once a month, taking on many home improvement projects, and stretching the budget to feed her family of 8. She worked some short stints outside the home, including Nortwestern Bell as an information operator, and B. Dalton Bookstore to quench her appetite for reading novels.

She also volunteered with Scouts and Social Services, and donated many craft items for church bazaars. After Larry’s retirement, they moved back up north to Park Rapids in 1996, where Connie tended numerous perennial flower gardens, researched family genealogy, and put her artistic talents to use quilting, painting rocks, and making mosaic wooden inlay projects to share with loved ones. Her coffee chats at the kitchen table will be missed by many.

Connie is survived by her children, LeAnn (Hart) Engen of Cass Lake, Tammy (Chris) Wickstrom of Blaine, Jen (Troy) Franks of Brainerd, Bob (Lisa) Rice of Nevis, and Bill Rice of Park Rapids, 14 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, and siblings Trudy (Dick) Cragg, Tim (Jean) Lindow, Jack (Carol) Lindow, Mary (Terry) Cain, Bob (Donna) Lindow, Julie Pidde, Chuck (Bonnie) Lindow, Leslie (Rob) Badger, and sister-in-law LaVonne Lindow, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws.

Connie was preceded in death by her husband Larry, son Tom, brother Terry Lindow, niece Pam Lindow, and brother-in-law Stan Pidde.

memorial service

Memorial Mass for Connie

February 10, 2024

Our Lady of the Pines Catholic West, 205 Main St, Nevis, MN 56467, USA

The mass will begin at 12:00 p.m. Visitation and lunch 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Cease Funeral Home, next door to the church in Nevis. Interment will be held in the spring of 2024.

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Cease Funeral Home