Dena Rice

Dena H. Rice, deeply loved and richly blessed, was born on June 10, 1955 to Edberg Nelson and Lucy Swan. In the still of the morning on September 01, 2016, God called his beloved daughter home. Dena received her education in the Baltimore City Public School System. She had three children whom she loved dearly. She enjoyed family gatherings and loved cooking with her specialty being sauerkraut, pig tails and banana pudding. Dena gave her life to Christ in 1982 and was baptized and filled with gift of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name under the leadership of Bishop the late Jeff Johnson, after a period of time passed she renewed her membership at Har Sinai Church of Christ under the leadership of Pastor Florine Johnson. Her strong belief in God never wavered. Dena served as a faithful member of the Willing workers Ministry, Missionary Ministry Gospel Choir and President of the Pastor's Aide Ministry for many years at Har Sinai Church of Christ. In 1994, Dena met and married the love of her life, James Tracy Rice. Dena held numerous jobs prior to her employment at the Social Security Administration. She worked as an Administrative. Assistant for the Johns Hopkins Hospital and she also worked as a daycare provider, just to name few. She retired from the Social Security Administration after 34 years of service. Dena loved to eat crab morning noon or night she had no reservation as to when she would eat her crabs. Whenever you see Dena in a suit you better believe she had a matching hat to set it off. She was the Bea Gaddy of the family. If you needed a place to stay and no food to eat you could find it at Dena's place. She even took in a stray cat. Dena was affectionately known as “LaLa” or grandma Dena to her grandkids, and they will sorely miss her. She met numerous people everywhere she went. People gravitated and fell in love with her Christ like spirit. She leaves to cherish her memory: husband, Elder James T. Rice; daughter Towanda Brewer; three sons, Brian Cutts, Jordan Rice and James M. Rice,; one son-in-law, Gary Brewer; mother-in-law, Julia Rice; five grandchildren, Kiara, Garry, Jr., Morgan, Briasia and a Nijah; four siblings, Geraldine, Charles (Bertha), Florriet and Sandra; sister-in-law, Carolyn (Tyrene); four brother-in-law Tyrone, Michael (Lue), Kenneth and Alan; she shared a special bond with Ticia who she referred to as her daughter, Linda Clark, friend and sister, two God children; Phillip and Lamont, special friends; Linda Hamilton, Del Rawlings, Brenda Hamilton, Mary Harmon, Charlene Phillips, Mother Pannell affectionately known as Granny, Pop Pop Charles, nephew Kevin Singleton (BO) who held a special place in her heart; and a host of other loving relatives and friends.

Tributes

Dena Rice

August 10, 1955 - September 1, 2016