This week, The Grenada Star spotlights 80-year-old Dorothy McNeal Rice of Grenada.
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born April 14, 1942, in Kosciusko.
Q: Who were your parents?
A: My parents were Roy and Stella McNeal.
Q: What did your parents do for a living?
A: My father was a carpenter and my mother was a homemaker. My father was a wonderful carpenter. I remember us building little playhouses out back and he would build us furniture for those houses, and if we had a baby doll that got hurt or messed up, he would build little caskets for us to put them in. He was such a good Daddy.
Q: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
A: There are nine of us. I have four brothers and four sisters.
Q: Where did you attend school?
A: I went to Kosciusko, Madison and I also attended Gulf Coast Community College, but I graduated with my social work degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Q: What do you recall most from your childhood?
A: I recall having a big family. We had a baseball team. Mama and Daddy would play with us. We woke up laughing and playing and we always had something fun going on. I remember getting up first and I would always have morning coffee with Daddy.
Q: Where have you lived?
A: I have lived in Kosciusko, Madison, Pascagoula, Gautier, California and moved to Grenada in 1975, and I’ve been here ever since.
Q: What do you like most about Grenada?
A: I love water, and I miss the Ocean, and I like that Grenada has somewhere where we can go to enjoy the water. We love to go camping and just enjoy what Grenada has to offer here.
Q: What was your husband’s name?
A: Wade Rice.
Q: How long have you been married?
A: We have been married 61 years.
Q: What made your spouse the one for you?
A: Well, I have liked him for a long time. We have always been friends. We started liking each other in the 9th grade and it just went from there. He was my high school sweetheart.
Q: What advice do you give married couples for them to have a long, healthy marriage like you do?
A: Don’t get mad enough to leave. Wade and I got into an argument and I said I was going to leave, so I went to pack up my things and we heard a knock on the door and it was his parents. I knew I couldn’t leave with them here, so I shoved all of my things under the bed. They stayed the weekend and by the time they left, I couldn’t even remember what I was mad at him for. It wasn’t enough for me to leave. I’m sure it was because he had a shrimp boat and wanted to spend all his time with his buddies on the boat, and I wanted him home. I say all that to say this, it’s a give and take.
Q: Do you have any children?
A: I have four children: Sandi Woods, Mike Rice, Steve Rice and Angel Rice.
Q: Where do your children live and what do they do for a living?
A: Sandi lives in Texas and works for McDermott. Mike lives in Duck Hill and works for Telepak. Steve owns B’s Grocery in Gore Springs and Angel is one of his employees there.
Q: Where do you attend church?
A: Right now, I am not physically at church due to COVID-19, but I am born and raised Baptist.
Q: Where did you work? What was your role?
A: I am retired from Greenwood Leflore Hospital. I was a social worker there. I would get the history of the patient when they would come and anything else that was needed from the social work standpoint.
Q: Do you have any grandchildren?
A: I have lots of grandchildren and lots of great grandchildren. I have 11 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. I absolutely adore each and every one of them. I still love to have them over for spend the night times and just over in general.
Q: Do you do a lot of traveling?
A: I love to travel. I have been all over. I have been to Hawaii, I have been on a few cruises and I’m going on another one here soon, I have been to Branson, I have been to California, Canada, but I have not been to the Rocky Mountains and that is where I would love to go. I want to go to Colorado. I don’t know if I will get to go now, but that is still on my bucket list.
Q: What inventions have you witnessed that intrigue you? Why?
A: Everyone says this, but the cell phone. I just think it’s so neat how I can drive down the road and talk to someone. I grew up with landlines. That’s all we had. Also, all these features that cars and trucks have now. It is just so high tech.
Q: What keeps you busy these days?
A: Family does. We are always doing things together. I love having my great grandchildren over all the time. I love being with my family, so that is what keeps me busy.
Q: What is your favorite TV show and movie? Why?
A: I get a lot of ideas from HGTV, but I never get around to doing any of those ideas. I love Elvis and I can’t wait to see the new movie, but “Love Me Tender” is my favorite movie.
Q: What advice would you like to give people on staying healthy?
A: Get up and go to work. Other than funerals or anything for family, I never missed work. Stay busy. Be active. Don’t just sit around and be lazy. Eat right. Wade and I eat lots of vegetables. Have fun. Enjoy life.
~ By Mandy Ayers
