Sandra Kay Kolb Rice

Services for Sandra Kay Kolb Rice, 73, of Tyler will be held on Thursday, August 19, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of Green Acres Baptist Church officiated by Rev. Kevin Burdette and Tommy Johnson. Burial will follow at Cathedral in the Pines Cemetery under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Sandra was born December 3, 1947 in Fort Smith AR to Robert “Bob” and Betty Kolb. She shed her mortal shell at Brookdale South, in Tyler, and joined her precious Savior and her Mother and Daddy in Heaven on August 15, 2021. Although she was born in Arkansas, she came to Tyler with her parents and older brother Mike when she was 6 months old. Sandra attended Mattie Jones Elementary School, and Boulter Middle School before moving to the Chapel Hill area where she graduated from Chapel Hill High School in 1966. Sandra was a member of Green Acres Baptist Church. For several years, Sandra served the community as a medical assistant in the offices of Dr. Granger. After her son Zachary was born, she worked for 17 years caring for young children in the Green Acres Baptist Church Day Care Program. Although she dearly loved working with the young children at GABC, declining health of her parents and husband necessitated her leaving the child care program to stay home and care for them. After the death of her parents and husband in 2004, she enrolled in some computer continuing education and medical assisting courses at Tyler Junior College. It was there that she met Woody Rice. They were married in 2006 and spent many fond years singing in and traveling with the Highest Praise and Celebration Choirs of Green Acres Baptist Church. Sandra was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Doss Burchfield, stepson, Charlie W. “Buddy” Rice, brother-in-law Charles Hall, and sister-in-law Alrene Hall. She is survived by her husband of 15 years, Woody Rice; son and daughter-in-law, Zachary and Valerie Burchfield of Tyler; brother, Mike Kolb and wife Sharon of Arkadelphia, AR; stepdaughters, Alleen Cormier (Gil) and Ellen Tant of Tyler; three step-grandchildren, Georgia Tant of Tyler, Christopher Wells (Christina) of Savannah, GA and Brandi Wells; four step-great-grandchildren; and six cousins. Pallbearers will be Mike Castleberry, Tom Hickey, David Allison, Chris Jennings, Jonathan Brown and Tyler Hall. Visitation is scheduled from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Hwy, in Tyler. The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of Brookdale South and Solaris Hospice for their outstanding care during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County, 211 Winchester Dr., Tyler, TX 75701 (alzalliance.org), the American Cancer Society, 100 Independence Pl, Tyler, TX 75703 (www.cancer.org), or the Worship Ministry of Green Acres Baptist Church, 1607 Troup Hwy, Tyler, TX 75701(www.gabc.org)

Sandra Kay Kolb Rice

December 3, 1947 - August 15, 2021