Cora Ellen Rice

Cora (Corky) Ellen Rice of Wellsville, KS passed away Thursday July 13,2017. Born on July 18, 1941 to Clifford and Anna Rice of Wellsville, KS. She grew up in Wellsville, with an older brother Jerry V. Rice (deceased) and Clifford J. Rice. A Child Singer Star in the Midwest, she sang with local favorites such as Hoby Shepp and the Cowtown Wranglers and toured endlessly during her childhood years. She made a movie called Corns-a-Poppin written by the now famous Director Robert Altman. This film stared Jerry Wallace and Hoby Shepp and the Cowtown Wranglers and Little Cora Rice. It has recently been honored as an early and treasured work of Robert Altman's by the Chicago Institute of Film, which came to interview Cora recently about the film. She married Richard Lee Turner in 1959 and had four children Randy (deceased) Tammy, Doug and Shelly. They relocated along with Cora's family to Southern California where she pursued her singing career and raised four children who inherited her vocal gifts. There, her family lived a full life, filled with singing, horses, dogs, business ownership, wild horse chasing, camping, boating, and lots of family and friends. Relocating back to Wellsville, Ks in the late 80's, she returned to the family homestead property, eventually moving into town where she lived the last 16 years of her life. In 2012, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and has been growing in grace since then. She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015, a lifelong smoker, it finally took her life. This woman lived a life which will continue to live out lovingly in the memory of those who knew her; in the end, that is a wonderful and weighty thing to be able to say about a person. We will miss you Mommy!
Cora's funeral services will be held at Wilson's Funeral Home, 607 Main St, Wellsville KS on Thursday July 20, 2017 at 10:30 am. Graveside services to immediately follow at the Wellsville Cemetery. A viewing is scheduled for Wednesday July 19, 2017 at Wilsons Funeral Home, Wellsville, KS from 6:00 pm to 8:00pm.
Corky is survived in death by: Children: Tonya Turner wife of Randy Turner (deceased), Tammy (Turner) Gimbel and her husband Tracy Gimbel, Douglas Turner and his wife Reney Turner, Shelly (Turner) Jensen and her husband Barry Jensen; Grandchildren: Brandon Nason, Justin Turner, Tracy Roehl, Stacy Mc Clendon, Jessica Bradley, Courtney Hurst, Aubriana Jones, Paxton Gimbel, Ashley Mijangos. Great Grand Children: Tory Hook, Bailey Roehl, Andy Mc Clendon, Charley Roehl, Anthony Mijangos, Kingston Bradley, Sofia Mijangos, Liam Bradley, Mac Mc Clendon, Haven Hurst, Xavier Turner, On the way; Baby Girl Bradley, great-grandson Ian Mijangos and 3rd Baby Boy Mc Clendon. Sibling: Clifford J. Rice.

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