Hazel Donaldson Rice

Mrs. Hazel Donaldson Rice, 84, Johnson City, passed away Tuesday, June 3, 2014 in the Select Specialty Hospital in Bristol. Hazel was born in Louisville, GA and was the daughter of the late Hazel and Dee Donaldson. She attended Shorter College in Rome, GA and graduated from ETSU in 1975. Hazel worked as a substitute teacher in the Johnson City school system before her retirement. Hazel was an active member of Watauga Avenue Presbyterian Church and was an elder in the church for many years. She volunteered at the Hands On! Museum and the Gray Fossil Museum. She also participated in Questors Book Club, Johnson City Junior Service League, and several bridge clubs. Hazel was very dedicated to her family, friends, and community. She was a very faithful friend and will be greatly missed by all who knew her. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Bailey Rice, and son, Steve Rice. She is survived by: four children, Devereux Rice and his wife Tina, Kingsport, Martha Shaw and her husband Jan, Kingsport, Sam Rice and Sandy Klopfenstein, Jacksonville, FL, and Susanne Poythress and her husband Kevin, Raleigh, NC; 13 grandchildren, Melissa Rice and her husband Casey Dreier, Pasadena, CA, Sam Rice, Anchorage, AK, Jason Murray and his wife Emma, Seattle, WA, Rachel Murray, Orlando, FL, Megan Murray, Kingsport, Bailey, Taylor, and Austin Poythress, Raleigh, NC, Dallas and Amy King, Kingsport, Tim Shaw and his wife Sharon, Maryland, Courtney Shaw, Greensboro, NC, and Katelyn Shaw, Kingsport; four great grandchildren, Jackson Gillis, Kingsport, Tristan Powell, Maryland, Kai Marshall, Greensboro, NC, and Abby Shaw, Maryland; one brother, Sam Donaldson and his wife Anne, Atlanta, GA; and many wonderful nieces, nephews, and friends. The family of Hazel Donaldson Rice will receive friends from 6 PM to 8 PM Thursday, June 5, 2014 in Morris-Baker Funeral Home. The committal service will be conducted at 11:45 AM Friday, June 6, 2014 in Monte Vista Memorial Park. A memorial service will follow at 1 PM Friday at Watauga Avenue Presbyterian Church. George L. Rolling, Pastor will officiate. Family and friends are requested to meet at the cemetery for the committal service and meet at the church for the memorial service. For those who wish, memorials may be made to Watauga Avenue Presbyterian Church, 610 East Watauga Ave., Johnson City, TN 37601. (423) 926-7942