Marzelle Phoebe Rice

Funeral services for Marzelle Phoebe Rice, 100, will be held Thursday, January 29, 2026 at First Baptist Church, 2051 Port Arthur St, Zwolle, Louisiana at 10:00 a.m. with a visitation beginning at 9:00 a.m. A Burial will follow the service at Newlin Cemetery , 1287 Newlin Cemetery Rd, Singer, Louisiana. Officiating the service will be Brother Michael McIntosh, Brother Marty Williams, and Brother Jerry Penfield.

Marzelle was born on November 12, 1925 to Iutress Cooley and Beatrice Bertha Cooley in Singer, Louisiana and passed away on Tuesday, January 21, 2026 in Many, Louisiana.

She graduated from Singer High School in 1942 and married Calvin Rice on October 9, 1942. They lived in DeRidder until 1955, when they moved to Lake Charles until 1959. They were parents to Betty Louise, Brenda Beatrice, and Charles David. Their last move was to Glenmora, which is where they lived together until Calvin passed away November 8, 2001. They were members of Glenmora Baptist Church where Marzelle taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, organized Lottie Moon offerings, and taught Vacation Bible School. She was faithful to the Lord, their church and their community. She continued to live in Glenmora until 2021, when she moved to Zwolle with Betty and John Leggett.

Marzelle was a voracious reader and served as the assistant librarian in Glenmora for 30 years. She loved her family and hosted big gatherings with fun, especially competitive games, food and fellowship. She was strong and caring, smart and kind. She loved to travel and went to many places with her husband, Calvin. She loved fresh vegetables, fresh flowers and birds. She was a great cook and loved to cook everyone's dishes. She made her home into a refuge for all of us. There was no place like Grandma's house. She was a wonderful wife to Calvin and the best mother, mother-in-law, grandmother to 10, great-grandmother to 19, great-great grandmother to two, the greatest sister and friend. She took care of everyone.

Marzelle is preceded in death by her husband, Calvin P. Rice; parents, Iutress and Beatrice Cooley; sisters, Maxine Slaydon, Iulene Dickerson, Aileen Hickman, and Faye Perry; brother, Earl Cooley; and grandson, Duane Leggett. She is survived by her son, Dr. Charles Rice and wife, Koyne, of Lewisville, North Carolina; daughters, Brenda Morrow and husband, Carl, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Betty Leggett and husband, John, of Zwolle, Louisiana; sisters, Lou Slaydon and husband, Junior, of DeRidder, Louisiana and Linda Hamiter of Washington; brother, Iutress Cooley, Jr. and wife, Myrna, of Merryville, Louisiana; 10 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Honoring Marzelle as pallbearers will be Eli Morrow, Ezra Morrow, John Michael McIntosh, Brett Sanders, Matt Morrow, Taylor Rice, and Chad Morrow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Lottie Moon Mission Fund at First Baptist Church at PO Box 488, Zwolle, Louisiana. The family would like to thank Sabine Retirement and Rehabilitation Center, especially Natalie, Courtney, and Torie, for their care and compassion.

Services and care were provided to the family by Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Many, Louisiana.