Stella Marie Rice

CARBONDALE - Stella Marie Gallegos Rice died on February 29, 2020 in Winfield, Illinois. Stella the 10th child out of 23, of the late Julian and Amalia Quintana Gallegos. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Paul, her son Richard Paul (Ricky), and 12 brothers and sisters. She was born in Solar Colorado on December 11, 1923 and baptized on January 23, 1924 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Walsenburg, Colorado. Her father was coal miner for many years. The family moved to Trinidad, Grand Junction, Cameo, and finally Mt. Harris, Colorado, where she grew up. She graduated from Hayden Union High School in Routt County. She then came to Grand Junction in 1941 to attend Mesa College where she met her future husband, Paul Rice, but didn’t know it at the time.



Paul joined the military and she got a job at the Manhattan Cafe to help pay her college tuition fees. After college, she moved to Denver. In 1943, she enlisted in the Army (WACS) until 1945. While travelling on the train, she ran into the man who became the love of her life, Paul Rice. She went to Chicago with him and they were married in 1945.



They moved to Maywood, where they started their family. They had seven children, Richard Paul, Paulette Loisi (Mike), Melody Hof (Gary), Robyn White (Steve), Gayle Behnke (Don), Brian Rice (Joanne), Scott Rice (Dawn). Stella had 17 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.



She is also survived by 5 sisters, Eva Fruit and Sarah Nolan of Grand Junction, CO., Mary Lucero of Mesquite NV., Barbara Castillo of West Valley City, UT., Romelia Lewis of Jacksonville, FL. and 5 brothers, Joe Gallegos of Boise, ID., Gene Gallegos of Clovis, CA., Gary Gallegos of Grand Junction, CO., David Gallegos of Albuquerque, NM, and Roy Gallegos of Santa Fe, NM. and many nieces and nephews.



She worked at the VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois, Madden Mental Health Center as the Administrative Assistant to the Director of Mental Health, JC Penney’s and eventually Giant City School as a teacher’s aide at the age of 91 she retired. After her and Paul retired from the Chicago area they built a beautiful home in Carbondale, Illinois.



She enjoyed dancing and going to the casinos when she could. She was always up for an adventure and love to go on road trips.



Funeral Mass will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 7, 2020 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Carbondale with Father Robert Flannery officiating. Visitation will be 9:00 to 11:00 am on Saturday at the church. Burial will be in Zion Cemetery, Carbondale with military honors.



In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Zion Cemetery, Giant City School Library or the donor’s choice,



The family thanks the staff at Central Dupage Hospital for the care given to their mother.