Gloria Lou (Padgett) Rice was born September 24, 1933, in Tyler, Texas to O.M., Sr. “Pete” and Prebble (Akin) Padgett. She raised and took care of horses most of her life. In her earlier years, Gloria was world champion of the Old Timers Rodeo Association, now known as the Texas Senior Pro Rodeo Association (TSPRA), a rodeo association made up of cowboys and cowgirls forty years and older.

Gloria was a Registered Nurse. She had worked at Madison County Hospital (Madison-St. Joseph Health Center) for fifty years and served as Director of Nurses. When not at work, Gloria enjoyed taking care of her cats, dogs and horses. She had a particular fondness for her son’s fresh garden tomatoes. Gloria had lived in rural Leona, Texas for many years and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Madisonville. She passed away Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Madisonville at the age of eighty-four years and was preceded in death by both of her parents; husband, Larry Rice; three brothers, Donald, O.M. & Tommy Padgett and sister, Irene Whitmire.

Surviving family members include sons, Larry Gene Rice, Jr. of Leona and Paul David (Nancy) Rice of Houston; sister, Joy Jamison of Sterling City; grandchildren, Danni, Rikki and Chris and great grandchildren, Nicholas, Vivian and Leslie Mead.

Funeral services for Gloria will take place at 11 A.M., Monday, April 30, 2018 at the First Baptist Church in Madisonville, Texas. Rev. Joshua Crutchfield, pastor of First Baptist Church in Madisonville, will officiate the service. Interment will be in the Rice Cemetery, northeast of Livingston, Texas. A visitation will be held Sunday, April 29th from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. at the funeral home.

Madisonville Funeral Home in Madisonville is in charge of all arrangements.