Rita (Ryan) Dice, age 87 of Taunton, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2017 at Longmeadow Nursing Home surrounded by her loving family.
She was the beloved wife of the late Robert V. Dice.
Rita was born in Taunton, she was the daughter to the late Leo and Elizabeth (Purtell) Ryan.
She was educated in Taunton schools and then went on to spend most of her life in Southern California. This is where she met and married her late husband Robert. Rita worked alongside Robert as his secretary for many years. They enjoyed fishing together as well as raising and racing their pigeons.
Rita is survived by her daughters; Diane Kennedy and her husband Tom of Huntsville, N.C., Deborah Santos and her husband David of Taunton, stepdaughters; Susan and Karen Dice of Southern California as well as Rita’s brother Leo Ryan and his wife Blanche, sisters; Beverly Sylvia, Janice Underhill and her husband Charles.
She also leaves behind her grandchildren; Matthew Smith, Erin Knapp and her husband Andrew, Desiree Santos, Jaime Santos and her wife Holly and Christopher Santos. Her step-grandchildren; Sean Roberts, Alyssum and Jasmine Dice as well as several great-grandchildren, step great-grandchildren and a step great- great grandchild , and many loving nieces and nephews.
She was the sister of the late Shirley, James, Richard, Raymond, Joanne all of the Ryan family and sister-in-law of the late Frank Gaspar Sylvia.
At the request of Rita, she will be laid to rest with the late Robert Vernon Dice at Riverside National Cemetery in California. Services will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in her memory made to; Longmeadow Nursing Home, 68 Dean St., Taunton, MA 02780.
Arrangements are with the Silva Funeral Home of Taunton.
For expressions of sympathy or to sign an online guestbook, visit www.silvafuneralhome.com