Mary (Vrba) Rice

Mary Kathryn (Meinert) Vrba Rice, age 85, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 25, 2025, at the Ossian Care Center.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at St. John Catholic Church, 201 Oak Street, Fort Atkinson, Iowa, with Rev. Nicholas Radloff presiding. Burial will be in the St. John Cemetery.

Visitation will be 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Monday, September 1, 2025, at Helms Funeral Home – Chekal Chapel, 201 East Main, Fort Atkinson, Iowa. Also, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home on Tuesday morning.

Mary was born on January 16, 1940, in Osage, Iowa, to Joseph and Ida (Kuennen) Meinert. Mary attended St. Luke’s Catholic School and graduated in 1958.

Mary met Roger Vrba at the Inwood Ballroom in Spillville. They were united in marriage on August 24, 1959, at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in St. Lucas. To this union, five children were born: Doug, Sheryl, Bev, Barb, and Dean. Mary and Roger farmed and raised livestock west of Fort Atkinson.  Mary took on the additional farm duties when Roger began working at John Deere in Waterloo.  She maintained order at home while Roger worked off the farm, preparing the ground for planting and handling any other tasks that arose until Rogers untimely death in 1983.

Mary worked various part-time jobs while raising her family.  One of the jobs that she enjoyed was being a waitress at The White House in St. Lucas.  One evening while at work, she met Larry Rice.  After being widowed for several years, Mary found someone to share her life with again.  She was united in marriage to Larry on September 11, 1992.   Mary and Larry loved traveling together. In Mary’s free time, she enjoyed bowling, baking (her famous filled rolls/culverts), family gatherings, going to the casino, watching college basketball, and listening to Tim the Music Man, Molly B and Daniel O’Donnell.  Mary’s greatest joy was watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow up.

Mary is survived by her children Doug (Karen) Vrba, Boone, IA; Sheryl (Dan) Holien, Ossian, IA; Bev (Roger Burns) Minear, Swisher, IA; Barb (Dennis) Mashek, Calmar, IA; and Dean (Sue) Vrba, Fort Atkinson, IA; nine grandchildren: Lindsey (David) Moellers; Abbie (Justin) Bohr; Jared (Jessica) Holien; Shaylee Minear; Nick (Realynn) Minear; Josh (Gina) Mashek; Kylie Mashek; Tanner Mashek(special friend Adele Biasini) ; and Larry Vrba; fifteen great-grandchildren: Caidance, Camilla, Makenna, and Micah Moellers; Boden and Brock Bohr; Esther Holien; Raiden Harbaugh and Grayson Minear; Brynlee and Braxton Minear; Parker, Paxton, Pryce, and Paislyn Mashek; one brother Bob (Pat) Meinert, Scottsdale, AZ; brothers and sisters-in-law Joyce (Ed) Hassing and Jerry Evelsizer; and several nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband’s Roger Vrba (1983) and Larry Rice (2003); her parents Joseph and Ida; sister Elizabeth; fathers and mothers-in-law Adolph and Mayme Vrba and Ralph and Thelma Rice; brothers and sisters-in-law Aileen (Kenneth) Huinker, Shirley (Joseph) Praska, Mary Evelsizer, Wilma Rice, and Lola (George) Booth; and nephew Randy Praska.