Alpha Rice

Alpha Jean Tober Rice died peacefully on February 3, 2025 in Kingsport, Tennessee. She was 99 years old. 

Born on January 22, 1926 in Medora, Illinois to parents Jean and Hazel Knight Tober, Alpha was raised on the prairies of South Dakota. In 1945, she returned to Medora to marry her sweetheart, Tom Rice. The couple moved to Kingsport in 1951 when Tom accepted a job at Eastman Kodak. Alpha enjoyed traveling with Tom and maintained an active social life, which included bridge games, tennis matches, and time spent at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where she was a member. She dedicated most of her time, however, to nurturing and caring for her children and grandchildren. Alpha will be remembered for her spirit of adventure, her unparalleled talents in the kitchen, and her unending good cheer. 

Alpha is preceded in death by her husband, Thomas B. Rice, Sr.; son Robert Dale Rice; sisters Mary Tober, Lois Denton, and Irene Padberg; and brother Milton Tober. 

She is survived by son Thomas B. Rice, Jr. and daughter-in-law Cheryl of Kingsport, Tennessee; daughter Donna Quillen and son-in-law Jeff of Kingsport, Tennessee; granddaughter Alice Croft and her husband Brannan of Maryville, Tennessee; granddaughter Lisa Henley and her husband John of Knoxville, Tennessee; grandson Robert Rice and his wife Lynette of Marion, Ohio; granddaughter Rebecca Quillen of Cambridge, Massachusetts; granddaughter Laura Quillen of Salt Lake City, Utah; great-grandchildren Olivia Croft, Charlotte Croft, Dale Henley, Neal Henley, Jackson Rice, and Christopher Rice; and sisters Maxine McNeill and Sidney Harmon.

Alpha’s family would like to thank the staff at Crown Cypress Assisted Living and Amedisys Hospice for their dedicated care. 

In accordance with her generous wishes, Alpha’s body was donated to East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine. Memorial services for Alpha will be held at a later time.