Elizabeth Jo Anna Rice

Loving wife, mother, grandmother, great- grandmother and friend passed away on April 25, 2022. Jo Ann was born to Lawrence Henry and JoHanna Heggie Smith Siebers on November 20, 1935.

JoAnn was raised in Tooele, UT and attended schools there through high school. She then attended Utah State University and graduated with a degree in Journalism. She met John David Rice there and they married shortly after graduation. She began her writing career at the Salt Lake Tribune as an advice columnist under the pseudonym “Dear Debbie”. John and Jo Ann graduated together from Utah State. John’s U.S. Air Force career took them to Texas, California, Alaska, and Maryland. Jo Ann taught school on the Air Force base in Alaska. They moved to Washington D.C., where she continued teaching while John attended law school.

Upon law school graduation, the couple briefly moved to southern California before settling in Cincinnati in 1966. Cincinnati is where Jo Ann would call home and raise her family. JoAnn dedicated her life to charitable work – John called her a professional volunteer. In this service she served in many roles in the Finneytown School District PTA and eventually as the Vice President and Secretary to the State of Ohio PTA. She then went on to another passion, history. She served as a volunteer and docent with the Cincinnati Museum Center and the Heritage Program. Through her guidance and leadership as the President of the Heritage Program, the association grew in membership and expanded the variety and presentations. She became expert in the history of Southern Ohio and gave many lectures and presentations.

Jo Ann was a dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. She served many years as a Sunday school teacher, Ward Relief Society President, and eventually Vice President of the Cincinnati Stake Relief Society.

JoAnn’s biggest pride was her family. She was a cherished Grammy to her grandchildren.

Jo Ann was predeceased by her parents, Lawrence Henry and JoHanna Heggie Siebers, her brothers Lawrence Siebers and Robert Siebers, and son David Gregory Rice. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, John David, son John Timothy (Linda) Rice of Lakeland, FL, daughter, Melanie (Mark) Moffat of Park City, UT, and daughter Wendy (Aladar) Komjathy of Lambertville, NJ. Grandchildren Gregory Rice and Samuel Rice, John Benjamin Rice, Emily Adelaide Rice, Charles Joseph Moffat, Richard Hunter Moffat, and Holly Elizabeth Moffat. Great grandchildren Gracie Rice and Ronin Rice.

Services will be held in Salt lake City, UT at 11:00 am on May 12, 2022 at the Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East. Guests are encouraged to park on the north side of the building. The burial service to follow in Park City, UT. 

A Memorial Service will be held in the Cincinnati Western Hills Ward Building on May 14, 2022 at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bonnet Springs Park (www.bonnetspringspark.com) or the Cincinnati Museum Center Library Fund, 1301 Western Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45203.