Joyce "Peggy" Rice, age 83, departed for Heaven on Saturday, September 20, 2025.  She was surrounded by her loving family.

Peggy was born in Fernandina Beach, Florida, the third child of six children born to Luther "Luke" Rice and Lucille "Ceal" Gallagher Rice.  She spent her childhood exploring the coastline of Fernandina Beach, clam digging, fishing, and learning to cook and bake from her great-grandmother.

The family moved to Jesup, Georgia in 1957, where Peggy met the love of her life, Eldred Manning. They were married for 28 years, hand built a home in the countryside of Jesup, and raised 3 daughters, Penny, Cindy and Karen.

Peggy was a homemaker with a sharp wit and a fantastic sense of humor, and was her happiest when she was with her family.  She could do anything, from installing a window in the home, canning the vegetables the family grew, or fixing a broken washing machine.  She was a skilled baker, making and decorating wedding cakes which far surpassed the work of a professional baker, with the local bakery sometimes contracting her to bake and decorate cakes for them.

Throughout the years, Peggy was "mother" to many of her nieces and nephews, and at times brought them to live in the family home, where she made sure they experienced a normal family atmosphere.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Luther "Luke" Rice and Lucille "Ceal" Gallagher Rice, brothers Luther "Bud" Rice and Charles "Charlie" Rice, sister, Mary Lucille Duckett, ex-husband, Eldred Manning, grandson, Hayden Patric Fisher.

Peggy is survived by her daughters, Penelope Manning of Jesup, Georgia, Cindy (Lon) Tanner of Cumming, Georgia, Karen (Mason) Fisher of Strasburg, Virginia, and her grandchildren, Justin (Pam) Himes, Brenton Fisher, and Raegan Fisher, great-grandchildren, Timothy, Landon and Logan Himes; brother, James L. "Jim" (June) Rice of Pensacola, Florida, and sister, Sophie Anne Rice, of Jesup, Georgia, as well as many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service is being planned by the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dementia Society of America at https://www.dementiasociety.org/

The family also asks that you get involved by volunteering for any dementia prevention functions or by assisting a dementia caregiver.

Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home of Jesup is in charge of arrangements.