Abi was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 12, 1968, and passed away at her home in Palo Alto, California over Thanksgiving. She will be greatly missed.
While she cherished her Philadelphia roots, Abi took great pride in being a life-long resident of Palo Alto, where she took part in all aspects of community life: volunteering at TheatreWorks; caring for generations of local children; patronizing area farmer’s markets and fairs; and spreading love and kindness to all whom she encountered.
Abi was a proud and unabashed animal-lover, leaning in even further after the aspurrsions that were leveled during the recent election. She was predeceased by her beloved cat, Oberon (a/k/a “Obi”) and her childhood fur babies; and she is survived by her feline roommate Indica (Indie), and by her parents’ cat, Butterscotch.
For more than 40 years, Abi was an enthusiastic crew member, volunteer, patron and benefactor of TheatreWorks spending countless hours enthralled by theater productions, putting up shows, pouring drinks and doing all that she could to support her beloved theater. She cherished her time at the theater, especially when in the company of her mother, Verne S. Rice. Abi was saddened by the COVID interruptions, but had recently returned to being a season ticket holder, and really enjoyed visiting the theater and seeing the shows.
It was impossible to accompany Abi in Palo Alto without running into one, and usually more, of the children whom she had cared for as a career child care worker. Although her work spanned multiple generations, she never forgot a child. Abi’s warm greetings were always reciprocated as fond memories were exchanged. At the time of her passing, Abi was employed at Covenant Children’s Center, her child care “home” of many years.
Abi was a proud graduate of Palo Alto High School. She never missed an opportunity to gather with her former classmates, and thoroughly enjoyed these occasions. After high school, she attended Foothill College and De Anza College, where she made life-long friends.
Abi was predeceased in 2022 by her parents, Edward Gray Rice and Verne Spitz Rice, both of Palo Alto. She is survived by her siblings, Edward Gray (“Ted”) Rice and his wife Alysia of Concord, NH; Alison Rice and her husband Geoffrey Conner of Madison, WI; Emily Gray Rice and her husband Rick Axtman of Concord, NH; her brother Robert H. (“Toby”) Rice of Melbourne, FL; and her nieces and nephews Sophia, Phoebe, Isabel, Hannah, Colin, and Avery; and by many dear friends.
A celebration of Abi’s generous spirit and life is scheduled for Saturday, January 25, 2025 at the Lucy Stern Community Center in Palo Alto. Visitation is scheduled for 11 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 12 p.m. All are welcome and invited to wear purple and/or something adorned with cats. Messages of condolence can be mailed or emailed to the family at [email protected]. Gifts in memory of Abi can be made to TheatreWorks Silicon Valley or the Humane Society of Silicon Valley.
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