Millie Rice Murphy & Walter Rice Recount Family History - See Below
From listening to Walter and Millie chat about their family and from asking Millie questions. Additional information from Helen Dube.
Burt G. and Ellen Smith were George and Mildred’s parents.
George Earl Lord, was born on August 23, 1897 and died on June 14, 1988. I believe Aunt Mildred was born two years later. [Mildred was born December 8, 1899]. They were born in Northampton, Massachusetts. My father told me he came home from school (he thought it was first grade or kindergarden)and found his mother on the floor and his sister sitting by her side crying. He took his sister and ran to a neighbor's house (he could not remember her name) and she called the authorities. Their mother was dead and apparently their Father had vanished. Both he and Mildred were taken to an orphanage in what he thought was Boston. He was (he thought) about 6 years old and his sister was probably 2 or 3 years younger. He remembered running away from the orphanage and living on the streets of Boston until someone brought him back.
After that, both he and his sister were placed in a home (he thought it was either in Lynn or Swampscott or South Salem) The man of the house owned or ran a drugstore. He said this man and his wife were not good to either of them. The mother was kind to them but the father beat them both when he drank. George was in school, however, and the school authorities noticed that both he and Mildred had indications that they were mistreated so they were removed from that home. This family was of Polish descent.
Their luck changed dramatically when they both were placed on the farm owned by Lena Whittsley (Gramma) Adams and her husband on the farm in Georgetown, Massachusetts. At first they only wanted George, but he threatened that if Mildred couldn’t come with him, he wouldn’t work even if beaten and he would run away. They both went to school in Georgetown in what is now the Town Hall. George worked on the farm, leading the cows down to the nearby pond before school, and Mildred worked in the house. They had a good healthy life there after all the previous misfortune. They both worked hard but were kindly treated and grew up in a healthy environment. Mr and Mrs Adams also ran a dance studio and taught ballroom dancing. I believe it was located in Salem, Massachusetts. I know my Dad when he was older taught at their studio. He was a great dancer.” (According to Helen Rice Dube from emails and phone calls with additional information from Walter & Millie) They became the foster children of Lena (Gramma) Adams who adopted Anne Phyllis, who may have been the illegitimate daughter of Mr. Adams. Millie said she was a stuck up prude. Mildred and George went to school up to 5th grade.
Helen remembers growing up in Salem and making many trips to the farm in Georgetown. She remembers the goat (her name escapes me) and loved the goat milk. Millie hated it. Aunt Mildred brought her children to the farm frequently also. Mrs. Adams and Mr. Haskell attended the wedding of Helen and Paul in 1950. Helen believes Gramma Adams died a few years after that and has no idea what happened to Mr. Haskell.
Helen’s dad and mom continued taking care of Gramma Adams and her companion, Mr. Haskell, well into their old age. Helen thinks her dad must have felt he owed Mrs. Adams for the healthy childhood they were given. She described her dad (George) as a "doer" who painted and repaired their house, cut the grass, etc. while her mother baked pies, etc. for them. They were part of Helen’s childhood as well as all of the Rice kids.
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Gramma Adams
had a big library and she allowed Millie to read. Then she questioned her about what the book was about. Millie had to show that her hands were very clean. She made Millie give an apple she took from a tree back to the owner. Gramma said about Millie that she “was such a homely child” who was “thin and sickly.” Millie remember that she had to take a nap. She remembers a big picture of a lion above a big couch where she napped. She said about Gramma Adams, “She certainly was an experience.” On Millie’s 16th birthday, Gramma Adams gave her a ring with a moonstone that Millie gave to Cathy Eaton. Millie remembers when the rabbit died. Gramma Adams said the lunch was chicken (not the rabbit), and they made gloved our of rabbit fur. Millie refused to eat any of it.
George Lord Rice married Catherine Hennessey and later Alice Flynn.
His daughter Helen married Paul Dube. They had three daughters: Paula M, Suzanne H, and Kathryn (Kate) LeGere
Millie remembers George’s wife making an apple pie, which Steve insisted on helping her crimp. George lived in Salem, Massachusetts and worked at the cookie factory near North Station called National Biscuit. They had one child, Helen. George’s second wife was Alice. Millie remembered her as gruff.
William Roger Rice’s parents
were from Wales, and they settled in Easton, Maryland where William Rice was probably born.
William Roger Rice and Mildred Smith Lord Rice
When they married, Mildred was 23 or 26 and William was about 42. Walter felt he was 20 years older than his wife. The wedding certificate says Roger William Rice (Widower) married Mildred Smith Lord (Spinster).
It was his second marriage, and he told Millie he had an older son from a former marriage.
Walter remembers that his father’s favorite pastime was listening to the |Red Sox on the family radio while smoking a pipe. He also read the newspaper. He could take motors apart. They lived in an apartment in Charlestown, which was fed by steam and owned by mayor of Cambridge. Walter was badly burned by radiator. William helped everyone in building convert their coal or wood stoves to oil.
Walter remembers his mother, Mildred, as the rock of Gibraltar. She was not afraid to tackle anything. She did lots of jobs to keep food on the table. Although she rarely went to church, she made sure children attended church. The denomination didn’t matter.
Walter remembers they had tense relationship. Millie and Walter remember their father as being mean when he drank.
William worked at MBTA elevated T as a blacksmith mechanic. Millie and Walter remember him as being smart. He was a quiet, tall man who had few friends and was not very social.
Mildred worked cleaning houses. She was ingenious and worked with her hands and made things.
William’s best friend was Dave Landry whose wife Evelyn (Mimi) Landry later lived with Mildred. Mimi was from Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Both women worked at Woolworths in Davis Square in Somerville.
Millie: Mimi saved us a lot of times.
What do you mean.
Millie: When we didn’t have enough to eat, I would have to go up to Somerville, and she would give us bread and whatever else she had in the house.
Walter: When both of their husbands died, they lived together for twenty five years.
Evelyn: When Kathy came in, Nana and Mimi lived together. were they gay.
Millie: Mimi was crabby a lot
Jim: She would be speaking French. (transcribed from Walter’s 80th birthday DVD)
Mildred made sure children went to camp and had clothes. She also made sure her children had a pair of shoes and a new suit at Easter. The shoes had to last a year. Millie had to polish her white shoes and Walter his dark shoes. They got shoes from Morgan Memorial (a social fraternal organization). The shoes were re-heeled or resoled. When they got holes, family cut out cardboard the right size and put under socks. Walter hated wearing knickers and was so happy when he got his first suit, long gray pants, one Easter.
After he died, Millie recalled that her Mildred had a boyfriend. Millie remembered him cutting branches with an ax. He swore when he cut himself and would not listen to advice. She said he was snotty. She remembered him always dressed in a suit.
They moved to Woburn and had five acres. Mildred tilled one half acre and had a root cellar where she put up canned peaches, apples, and blue Hubbard squash. She owned chickens and slaughtered them. Mildred worked hard in her garden to supplement store-bought food. They always had enough food even if was macaroni and cheese or beans. There were never many toys. There was a summer kitchen shed where there was an old fashion stove that Mildred began canning in late July. Walter remembers a larger copper kettle boiler with metal racks that had quart jars. Mildred might can 350 to 500 jars each season.
Walter recounted a story about Evelyn finding her mother, when she was older, on top of refrigerator leaning out the window to clean it. Evelyn yelled at her because she might have fallen out the window. Millie and Walter laughed because they said Mildred would have died happy. Mildred was constantly wallpapering or painting. She was outgoing and loved people. She didn’t boast. What she had, she did extraordinary things with. If the roof had a hole, she was up on the roof patching it. She worked at hospital before she and Mimi moved in together in Somerville.
After William died, Mildred had a boyfriend. Millie remembered him cutting branches with an ax and swearing when he cut himself. She said he would not listen to advice. Millie called him Snotty. Walter remembers him always being dressed in a suit.
[Excerpt from interview with family at Walter’s 80th birthday]
Millie: My mother was boss; Mimi get away from the window.
Walter: I have a huge mixing bowl..It was Mimi’s bowl. Jim, what did she make in that huge bowl.
Jim: Holey poley slathered with butter.
Walter: My first car was a ford. Studebaker Commander. Walter: I had that car for about four year.
Linda: He wears his brakes out in a second because he pumps gas and break. [Linda demonstrates.]
Kenneth: I remember being afraid to drive with Grandma.
Linda: Her last piece of not giving into reality was not giving up her car. We were down in Jefferson. We were in parking lot. Someone scooted in front of her. Grandma got out and said that’s my spot. She was 85
[When family stopped letting her drive], she cried: She cried. They took away her independence.
Millie: I’ll get a bike [when my family takes my car away.]
Someone asks: Are you driving”
Millie: Oh yeah. I don’t do highways.
Walter: She would never tell how long she was staying and you would never ask when she was leaving.
Every day you walked by her bedroom. If the bed was stripped, and her suitcases were by the door, you knew she was leaving. Then You say, “Mother, are you going home today. Well I thought I might.
Bald guy: You do this everyday.
Linda: What is your favorite memory of Nana. WE all said the suitcase by the door. Then she’d say When it the next train or bus. When is my bus coming?
Millie: Take the scenic bus all along the shore.
Michael: They’d arrange the entire bus trip for her.
Millie: She’d bring sliced ham.. Also a can of sliced crab. We couldn’t afford it. She couldn’t afford it.
Linda: She made tomato soup cake.
Steve: Did she paint anything at your house?
Linda: Lots of rooms.
Steve: Dad brought a pair of Andirock chairs. The look on Dad’s face. Mildred said, I painted your chairs. Don’t you like them. One was bright orange and one was bright yellow. Had those chairs for years.
Millie: And you wonder where we get our stubbornness.
Walter: I’m not stubborn. (transcribed from DVD)
William Roger and Mildred Smith Lord Rice had five children.
Roger Williams Rice worked at First National Grocery store during high school. He’d bring home cardboard boxes of food.
Roger Williams Rice, died in WW II. First he was in the Merchant Marines and then he was in the Air Force. His plane was shot down on September 16, 1944. For a while he was missing in action. Eventually he was buried in a US military Cemetery in St. Avold, France. Roger had a friend named Bill Moore, wealthy friend from Harvard. They met through fellowship at church, St. John’s Episcopol in Charleston. Bill was tall, skinny, and handsome like Gary Cooper. Mrs. Moore sent down payment for a house in Woburn out of Bill’s pension. After Bill died, a notary came. After Roger died, they received $25 or $50 a month. The family was related to the Pulitzer family.
Mildred Anna Rice married Steve Murphy. Steve worked as a baker. They had two children: Michael James and Stephen Vincent. Millie miscarried five children.
Walter Earl Rice, went to Gordon Bible College. He married Audrey Doris Rice. Walter taught elementary school, was a principal, and a minister. They lived in New York and South Carolina. They had two children: Kenneth Wayne who married Lorraine (four children: Stephen, Laura, Andrew, and Gregory Cooper); Linda who married ? Chase. They had two children: Justin Adam and Alexandra (Allie) Lauren.
Walter remembers his senior year in high schools. I had Spanish a couple of years. They put me in totally all girls’ Spanish class and I loved it. The teacher would say, “Now girls, and one gentleman.”
Walter and his family moved to Audrey’s home town in Port Jeff. Audrey, her brother Bill graduated, Ali and Justin all graduated from Port Jeff High School. For years voted one of best 100 schools in nation.
Evelyn Phyllis Rice McCleary. Millie said Evelyn used to like to make up stories. She married Jim McCleary, who was a truck driver. They lived in Medford, Massachusetts. They had four children: Jimmy who married Val, Roger who married Mary Beth, Cathy who married Eddie, and David.
Barbara Alta Rice, died of pancreatic cancer and had illegitimate daughter, who came to Mildred’s funeral. Only Millie and Mildred knew about her. Millie said Barbara was slow and lax. Barbara and her husband had 8 children: his children, her children, and their children. Got social security. “Clean sheets for your bed.” ???
Steve’s siblings:
Margaret married Frank
Lawrence died a month before Steve and Millie got married. He died of rheumatic fever.
Tucker married Kitsy.
John (Black Jack) was a policeman in Cambridge. “He should have been shot.”
Steve married Millie.
June 16, 1916 Steve Murphy was born
March 30, 1926 – Millie Rice (Murphy) was born.
April 24, 1929? – Walter Rice born.
June 28, 1928: Jim McCleary was born
September 18, 1929 Evelyn Rice (McCleary) was born.
? Barbara Rice was born.
Family lived in Boston, Charlestown, and Wood Street in Woburn.
Food was scarce. The kids went to ? school. Mildred sent them each to church. They sang in the choir. Walter was severely burned by a radiator exploding.
George Lord’s wife often invited the children one at a time to come visit them. Millie was sent to a camp for a week and hated it. Walter went to a camp in New Hampshire and loved it. They visited Grandma Adam’s camp. There were three goats: Esmiralda, ? and ?.
1941: Millie was 16 when her father died.
She stopped school at 10th grade to get a job and help take care of her younger siblings, then went back to school in 11th grade but got another job in the middle of 11th. She worked at a factory where her clever fingers could construct ???? quickly and efficiently.
1942: ? William Roger Rice died.
1946?: Millie worked at the First National where Steve was a foreman.
September 16, 1944: Roger Wi1liam Rice’s plane goes down.
November 3, 1950: Millie married Steve Murphy
when she was 26 and he was 36. They married in November, 1950. After she married, Steve encouraged her to get her GED.
Millie lived next to “Gramma” Burcheon. She and Millie made Millie’s wedding suit. Millie’s good friend was Lucy.
November 11, 1950: Evelyn married Jim McCleary
December 31, 1950 or January 1, 195: Walter Rice married Audrey.
1951: With his VA money, Steve and Millie bought a house in Cape Elizabeth, Maine
near the ocean. Their neighbors were Betty Davis and Gary Merrell. Michael was born there on July 31, 1951. Millie planted a large garden and helped supplement Steve’s income by clearning houses. She saved to earn a set of cutlery, one setting at a time. Her special friends werr Anna and Carl (Cullie) Wingren, Barbara and Jack Arnaldo, Bill and Marion MaCarthur, Sue and Frank Noyce. Gary Noyce was like a third son. Anna had her own cooking show. Anna teaches Millie to make braided rugs.
July 31, 1951: Michael James Murphy was born.
Grandma Sarah Murphy lived in Somerville with daughter, Margaret.
June of 1956: the Murphy family moved to Stoneham, Massachusetts,
where they lived across the street from Doris and Tom Cocoran. Doris became Millie’s best friend. “Earth to Doris” became an humorous phrase describing Doris who once asked “Do pigeons fly?”
They loved to sit out in the yard and drink iced coffee.
March 11, 1958: Stephen was born in Stoneham on March 11, 1958.
Millie and Steve loved to get together with their friends and play golf: Tom and Doris Corcoran, Louise and Bob Dole, Lil and Adam Bushman. Many Sundays they went to the beach in Gloucester. They loved to go to parties where they dressed us up according to themes like Hawaiian or Roaring Twenties. Millie loved to bowl and won many trophies for Candle Pin bowling tournaments.
1968: The Murphy family moved to Portland where they lived on Gleckler Road.
Millie loved to bowl and won many trophies for Candle Pin bowling tournaments. She loved to dance and admired Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.She loved to dance and admired Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
1969: Michael graduates from Deering High School in Portland, Maine
1973: Michael graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York
1976: Stephen graduated from Deering High School in Portland, Maine
1980: Stephen and Carolyn Burt graduated from University of Maine, Orono
Stephen diagnosed with Hodgekins A-1. He comes home to Stoneham, and Millie drives him to hospital for all treatments.
1976: Steve and Millie moved back to Stoneham, Massachusetts.
They lived next door to Donna Broderick, her best friend for many years.
Donna’s family basically adopted her for all major holiday and birthday celebrations. Millie was also close to Alvie and Rose, who lived next door. Donna has been integral in helping care for Millie recently and has been a daughter to her.
August 27, 1977: Michael Murphy married Cathy Eaton in Northfield, Ohio.
1979: Mildred Smith (Lord) Rice died (born December 8, 1899)
November 28, 1982: Colin Eaton Murphy was born in Cleveland, Ohio
November 1983: Steve and Millie came with Stephen and Carolyn to Cleveland.
January 1984: Steve Murphy has heart attack and is hospitalized.
February 8, 1984: Steve Murphy died of heart attack.
Summer 1984: Millie hosts bridal shower for Carolyn.
October 20, 1984: Stephen and Carolyn Burt married in East Hampton, Mass.
September 3, 1985: Devon Eaton Murphy was born in Cleveland, Ohio.
Millie makes maternity clothes and diaper bags for young friends and family.
November 1985: Millie, Stephen and Carolyn fly to Cleveland
to help Michael and Cathy get house ready to sell.
1987 to 2009 Millie travels to Asheville, NC, Annapolis, MD, and Bedford, NH
to visit her grandchildren. She makes them capes, tunics, and masks. Every year she is Nana the Santa and fills everyone’s stockings, buys us boxes of Rice Pilaf, and presents by the bushel full. Best bargains in town; most love in the universe.
Millie mows her lawn, tends her rock garden, helps her friends, sends cards to all she loves, frequents the Stoneham Library and reads five or six books a week, is a whiz at Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune and completes many word puzzles. She goes out on Stephen’s boat and visits Carolyn’s Ironstone Farm. Millie enjoys Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and birthdays with her two families: Stephen and Michael’s family and Donna’s family. Carolyn takes Millie to get materials for braiding rugs.
? Millie fell from large ? backyard tree she was pruning. After creeping across the yard, Millie’s crawled up the cement stairs and called Uncle Jim. She broke her wrist and hip????
Summer 1993: Great croquet tournament with Stevie and Cy Eaton in Bedford, NH.
March 2006: Stephen and Carolyn hosted Millie’s 80th birthday.
2007: David McCleary died.
May 2009??: Stephen and Michael convince Millie to attend Walter’s 80th birthday. Evelyn, Millie, and Walter get together first time in many years at Pawley’ Island
As new young families moved onto or near Randolph Road, Millie became a surrogate grandmother to the Manzi family (Joey, Brenna, Vin and Kelly) who called her Murph and the Wood family (John, Lisa, Jonathan, Anthony & Thomas) who called her Tweetie. These families have visited Millie frequently and brought her much joy.
January 2011: As Millie’s Alzheimer’s worsened and her heart weakened,
Stephen and Carolyn, Michael and Cathy, Donna Broderick, and Amy ?, and all Millie’s neighbors made it possible for Millie to stay in her home on 10 Randolph Road in Stoneham. Many friends and family visited over the next 9 months.
In January Amy became a 24/7 caregiver for Millie. Mary substituted for Amy. Donna began coming three times a week. Carolyn, Michael, and Stephen went to countless hospital visits, organized all the care-giving and medication, got wheel chairs for Millie, had bathroom aids and stairway railings installed for Millie.
March 14, 2011: Audrey Doris Rice died surrounded by loving family.
July 2011: Walter Rice came to visit Millie and Evelyn.
September 4, 2011: Millie entered Kaplan Family Hospice House on 78 Liberty Street in Danvers, MA.
September 9: Millie was alert for an hour, and her bed was wheeled outside her bedroom partially into the patio where she talked about ways to improve the garden.
September 10, 2011: Many friends and family visited Millie. Walter Rice and Linda Chase arrived in the early evening and Walter held a family prayer and blessing.
10 pm: Millie died. Cathy was holding her hand and Michael was by her side. The moon was full. The sky was bright
September 15, 2011: Millie’s service was held at the Barile Family Funeral Homes in Stoneham, Mass. Patti Keele presided. One of Millie’s braided rugs welcomed friends and family. An arrangement of plants were on the casket and another of Millie’s braided rugs was placed by the kneeler. Chocolate kisses were a treat for everyone. A board of photos celebrating Millie and a DVD of photos celebrated Millie’s life.
Millie was buried next to Steve at the ? cemetery in Stoneham, MA.
Burt G. and Ellen Smith were George and Mildred’s parents.
George Earl Lord, was born on August 23, 1897 and died on June 14, 1988. I believe Aunt Mildred was born two years later. [Mildred was born December 8, 1899]. They were born in Northampton, Massachusetts. My father told me he came home from school (he thought it was first grade or kindergarden)and found his mother on the floor and his sister sitting by her side crying. He took his sister and ran to a neighbor's house (he could not remember her name) and she called the authorities. Their mother was dead and apparently their Father had vanished. Both he and Mildred were taken to an orphanage in what he thought was Boston. He was (he thought) about 6 years old and his sister was probably 2 or 3 years younger. He remembered running away from the orphanage and living on the streets of Boston until someone brought him back.
After that, both he and his sister were placed in a home (he thought it was either in Lynn or Swampscott or South Salem) The man of the house owned or ran a drugstore. He said this man and his wife were not good to either of them. The mother was kind to them but the father beat them both when he drank. George was in school, however, and the school authorities noticed that both he and Mildred had indications that they were mistreated so they were removed from that home. This family was of Polish descent.
Their luck changed dramatically when they both were placed on the farm owned by Lena Whittsley (Gramma) Adams and her husband on the farm in Georgetown, Massachusetts. At first they only wanted George, but he threatened that if Mildred couldn’t come with him, he wouldn’t work even if beaten and he would run away. They both went to school in Georgetown in what is now the Town Hall. George worked on the farm, leading the cows down to the nearby pond before school, and Mildred worked in the house. They had a good healthy life there after all the previous misfortune. They both worked hard but were kindly treated and grew up in a healthy environment. Mr and Mrs Adams also ran a dance studio and taught ballroom dancing. I believe it was located in Salem, Massachusetts. I know my Dad when he was older taught at their studio. He was a great dancer.” (According to Helen Rice Dube from emails and phone calls with additional information from Walter & Millie) They became the foster children of Lena (Gramma) Adams who adopted Anne Phyllis, who may have been the illegitimate daughter of Mr. Adams. Millie said she was a stuck up prude. Mildred and George went to school up to 5th grade.
Helen remembers growing up in Salem and making many trips to the farm in Georgetown. She remembers the goat (her name escapes me) and loved the goat milk. Millie hated it. Aunt Mildred brought her children to the farm frequently also. Mrs. Adams and Mr. Haskell attended the wedding of Helen and Paul in 1950. Helen believes Gramma Adams died a few years after that and has no idea what happened to Mr. Haskell.
Helen’s dad and mom continued taking care of Gramma Adams and her companion, Mr. Haskell, well into their old age. Helen thinks her dad must have felt he owed Mrs. Adams for the healthy childhood they were given. She described her dad (George) as a "doer" who painted and repaired their house, cut the grass, etc. while her mother baked pies, etc. for them. They were part of Helen’s childhood as well as all of the Rice kids.
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Gramma Adams
had a big library and she allowed Millie to read. Then she questioned her about what the book was about. Millie had to show that her hands were very clean. She made Millie give an apple she took from a tree back to the owner. Gramma said about Millie that she “was such a homely child” who was “thin and sickly.” Millie remember that she had to take a nap. She remembers a big picture of a lion above a big couch where she napped. She said about Gramma Adams, “She certainly was an experience.” On Millie’s 16th birthday, Gramma Adams gave her a ring with a moonstone that Millie gave to Cathy Eaton. Millie remembers when the rabbit died. Gramma Adams said the lunch was chicken (not the rabbit), and they made gloved our of rabbit fur. Millie refused to eat any of it.
George Lord Rice married Catherine Hennessey and later Alice Flynn.
His daughter Helen married Paul Dube. They had three daughters: Paula M, Suzanne H, and Kathryn (Kate) LeGere
Millie remembers George’s wife making an apple pie, which Steve insisted on helping her crimp. George lived in Salem, Massachusetts and worked at the cookie factory near North Station called National Biscuit. They had one child, Helen. George’s second wife was Alice. Millie remembered her as gruff.
William Roger Rice’s parents
were from Wales, and they settled in Easton, Maryland where William Rice was probably born.
William Roger Rice and Mildred Smith Lord Rice
When they married, Mildred was 23 or 26 and William was about 42. Walter felt he was 20 years older than his wife. The wedding certificate says Roger William Rice (Widower) married Mildred Smith Lord (Spinster).
It was his second marriage, and he told Millie he had an older son from a former marriage.
Walter remembers that his father’s favorite pastime was listening to the |Red Sox on the family radio while smoking a pipe. He also read the newspaper. He could take motors apart. They lived in an apartment in Charlestown, which was fed by steam and owned by mayor of Cambridge. Walter was badly burned by radiator. William helped everyone in building convert their coal or wood stoves to oil.
Walter remembers his mother, Mildred, as the rock of Gibraltar. She was not afraid to tackle anything. She did lots of jobs to keep food on the table. Although she rarely went to church, she made sure children attended church. The denomination didn’t matter.
Walter remembers they had tense relationship. Millie and Walter remember their father as being mean when he drank.
William worked at MBTA elevated T as a blacksmith mechanic. Millie and Walter remember him as being smart. He was a quiet, tall man who had few friends and was not very social.
Mildred worked cleaning houses. She was ingenious and worked with her hands and made things.
William’s best friend was Dave Landry whose wife Evelyn (Mimi) Landry later lived with Mildred. Mimi was from Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Both women worked at Woolworths in Davis Square in Somerville.
Millie: Mimi saved us a lot of times.
What do you mean.
Millie: When we didn’t have enough to eat, I would have to go up to Somerville, and she would give us bread and whatever else she had in the house.
Walter: When both of their husbands died, they lived together for twenty five years.
Evelyn: When Kathy came in, Nana and Mimi lived together. were they gay.
Millie: Mimi was crabby a lot
Jim: She would be speaking French. (transcribed from Walter’s 80th birthday DVD)
Mildred made sure children went to camp and had clothes. She also made sure her children had a pair of shoes and a new suit at Easter. The shoes had to last a year. Millie had to polish her white shoes and Walter his dark shoes. They got shoes from Morgan Memorial (a social fraternal organization). The shoes were re-heeled or resoled. When they got holes, family cut out cardboard the right size and put under socks. Walter hated wearing knickers and was so happy when he got his first suit, long gray pants, one Easter.
After he died, Millie recalled that her Mildred had a boyfriend. Millie remembered him cutting branches with an ax. He swore when he cut himself and would not listen to advice. She said he was snotty. She remembered him always dressed in a suit.
They moved to Woburn and had five acres. Mildred tilled one half acre and had a root cellar where she put up canned peaches, apples, and blue Hubbard squash. She owned chickens and slaughtered them. Mildred worked hard in her garden to supplement store-bought food. They always had enough food even if was macaroni and cheese or beans. There were never many toys. There was a summer kitchen shed where there was an old fashion stove that Mildred began canning in late July. Walter remembers a larger copper kettle boiler with metal racks that had quart jars. Mildred might can 350 to 500 jars each season.
Walter recounted a story about Evelyn finding her mother, when she was older, on top of refrigerator leaning out the window to clean it. Evelyn yelled at her because she might have fallen out the window. Millie and Walter laughed because they said Mildred would have died happy. Mildred was constantly wallpapering or painting. She was outgoing and loved people. She didn’t boast. What she had, she did extraordinary things with. If the roof had a hole, she was up on the roof patching it. She worked at hospital before she and Mimi moved in together in Somerville.
After William died, Mildred had a boyfriend. Millie remembered him cutting branches with an ax and swearing when he cut himself. She said he would not listen to advice. Millie called him Snotty. Walter remembers him always being dressed in a suit.
[Excerpt from interview with family at Walter’s 80th birthday]
Millie: My mother was boss; Mimi get away from the window.
Walter: I have a huge mixing bowl..It was Mimi’s bowl. Jim, what did she make in that huge bowl.
Jim: Holey poley slathered with butter.
Walter: My first car was a ford. Studebaker Commander. Walter: I had that car for about four year.
Linda: He wears his brakes out in a second because he pumps gas and break. [Linda demonstrates.]
Kenneth: I remember being afraid to drive with Grandma.
Linda: Her last piece of not giving into reality was not giving up her car. We were down in Jefferson. We were in parking lot. Someone scooted in front of her. Grandma got out and said that’s my spot. She was 85
[When family stopped letting her drive], she cried: She cried. They took away her independence.
Millie: I’ll get a bike [when my family takes my car away.]
Someone asks: Are you driving”
Millie: Oh yeah. I don’t do highways.
Walter: She would never tell how long she was staying and you would never ask when she was leaving.
Every day you walked by her bedroom. If the bed was stripped, and her suitcases were by the door, you knew she was leaving. Then You say, “Mother, are you going home today. Well I thought I might.
Bald guy: You do this everyday.
Linda: What is your favorite memory of Nana. WE all said the suitcase by the door. Then she’d say When it the next train or bus. When is my bus coming?
Millie: Take the scenic bus all along the shore.
Michael: They’d arrange the entire bus trip for her.
Millie: She’d bring sliced ham.. Also a can of sliced crab. We couldn’t afford it. She couldn’t afford it.
Linda: She made tomato soup cake.
Steve: Did she paint anything at your house?
Linda: Lots of rooms.
Steve: Dad brought a pair of Andirock chairs. The look on Dad’s face. Mildred said, I painted your chairs. Don’t you like them. One was bright orange and one was bright yellow. Had those chairs for years.
Millie: And you wonder where we get our stubbornness.
Walter: I’m not stubborn. (transcribed from DVD)
William Roger and Mildred Smith Lord Rice had five children.
Roger Williams Rice worked at First National Grocery store during high school. He’d bring home cardboard boxes of food.
Roger Williams Rice, died in WW II. First he was in the Merchant Marines and then he was in the Air Force. His plane was shot down on September 16, 1944. For a while he was missing in action. Eventually he was buried in a US military Cemetery in St. Avold, France. Roger had a friend named Bill Moore, wealthy friend from Harvard. They met through fellowship at church, St. John’s Episcopol in Charleston. Bill was tall, skinny, and handsome like Gary Cooper. Mrs. Moore sent down payment for a house in Woburn out of Bill’s pension. After Bill died, a notary came. After Roger died, they received $25 or $50 a month. The family was related to the Pulitzer family.
Mildred Anna Rice married Steve Murphy. Steve worked as a baker. They had two children: Michael James and Stephen Vincent. Millie miscarried five children.
Walter Earl Rice, went to Gordon Bible College. He married Audrey Doris Rice. Walter taught elementary school, was a principal, and a minister. They lived in New York and South Carolina. They had two children: Kenneth Wayne who married Lorraine (four children: Stephen, Laura, Andrew, and Gregory Cooper); Linda who married ? Chase. They had two children: Justin Adam and Alexandra (Allie) Lauren.
Walter remembers his senior year in high schools. I had Spanish a couple of years. They put me in totally all girls’ Spanish class and I loved it. The teacher would say, “Now girls, and one gentleman.”
Walter and his family moved to Audrey’s home town in Port Jeff. Audrey, her brother Bill graduated, Ali and Justin all graduated from Port Jeff High School. For years voted one of best 100 schools in nation.
Evelyn Phyllis Rice McCleary. Millie said Evelyn used to like to make up stories. She married Jim McCleary, who was a truck driver. They lived in Medford, Massachusetts. They had four children: Jimmy who married Val, Roger who married Mary Beth, Cathy who married Eddie, and David.
Barbara Alta Rice, died of pancreatic cancer and had illegitimate daughter, who came to Mildred’s funeral. Only Millie and Mildred knew about her. Millie said Barbara was slow and lax. Barbara and her husband had 8 children: his children, her children, and their children. Got social security. “Clean sheets for your bed.” ???
Steve’s siblings:
Margaret married Frank
Lawrence died a month before Steve and Millie got married. He died of rheumatic fever.
Tucker married Kitsy.
John (Black Jack) was a policeman in Cambridge. “He should have been shot.”
Steve married Millie.
June 16, 1916 Steve Murphy was born
March 30, 1926 – Millie Rice (Murphy) was born.
April 24, 1929? – Walter Rice born.
June 28, 1928: Jim McCleary was born
September 18, 1929 Evelyn Rice (McCleary) was born.
? Barbara Rice was born.
Family lived in Boston, Charlestown, and Wood Street in Woburn.
Food was scarce. The kids went to ? school. Mildred sent them each to church. They sang in the choir. Walter was severely burned by a radiator exploding.
George Lord’s wife often invited the children one at a time to come visit them. Millie was sent to a camp for a week and hated it. Walter went to a camp in New Hampshire and loved it. They visited Grandma Adam’s camp. There were three goats: Esmiralda, ? and ?.
1941: Millie was 16 when her father died.
She stopped school at 10th grade to get a job and help take care of her younger siblings, then went back to school in 11th grade but got another job in the middle of 11th. She worked at a factory where her clever fingers could construct ???? quickly and efficiently.
1942: ? William Roger Rice died.
1946?: Millie worked at the First National where Steve was a foreman.
September 16, 1944: Roger Wi1liam Rice’s plane goes down.
November 3, 1950: Millie married Steve Murphy
when she was 26 and he was 36. They married in November, 1950. After she married, Steve encouraged her to get her GED.
Millie lived next to “Gramma” Burcheon. She and Millie made Millie’s wedding suit. Millie’s good friend was Lucy.
November 11, 1950: Evelyn married Jim McCleary
December 31, 1950 or January 1, 195: Walter Rice married Audrey.
1951: With his VA money, Steve and Millie bought a house in Cape Elizabeth, Maine
near the ocean. Their neighbors were Betty Davis and Gary Merrell. Michael was born there on July 31, 1951. Millie planted a large garden and helped supplement Steve’s income by clearning houses. She saved to earn a set of cutlery, one setting at a time. Her special friends werr Anna and Carl (Cullie) Wingren, Barbara and Jack Arnaldo, Bill and Marion MaCarthur, Sue and Frank Noyce. Gary Noyce was like a third son. Anna had her own cooking show. Anna teaches Millie to make braided rugs.
July 31, 1951: Michael James Murphy was born.
Grandma Sarah Murphy lived in Somerville with daughter, Margaret.
June of 1956: the Murphy family moved to Stoneham, Massachusetts,
where they lived across the street from Doris and Tom Cocoran. Doris became Millie’s best friend. “Earth to Doris” became an humorous phrase describing Doris who once asked “Do pigeons fly?”
They loved to sit out in the yard and drink iced coffee.
March 11, 1958: Stephen was born in Stoneham on March 11, 1958.
Millie and Steve loved to get together with their friends and play golf: Tom and Doris Corcoran, Louise and Bob Dole, Lil and Adam Bushman. Many Sundays they went to the beach in Gloucester. They loved to go to parties where they dressed us up according to themes like Hawaiian or Roaring Twenties. Millie loved to bowl and won many trophies for Candle Pin bowling tournaments.
1968: The Murphy family moved to Portland where they lived on Gleckler Road.
Millie loved to bowl and won many trophies for Candle Pin bowling tournaments. She loved to dance and admired Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.She loved to dance and admired Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
1969: Michael graduates from Deering High School in Portland, Maine
1973: Michael graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York
1976: Stephen graduated from Deering High School in Portland, Maine
1980: Stephen and Carolyn Burt graduated from University of Maine, Orono
Stephen diagnosed with Hodgekins A-1. He comes home to Stoneham, and Millie drives him to hospital for all treatments.
1976: Steve and Millie moved back to Stoneham, Massachusetts.
They lived next door to Donna Broderick, her best friend for many years.
Donna’s family basically adopted her for all major holiday and birthday celebrations. Millie was also close to Alvie and Rose, who lived next door. Donna has been integral in helping care for Millie recently and has been a daughter to her.
August 27, 1977: Michael Murphy married Cathy Eaton in Northfield, Ohio.
1979: Mildred Smith (Lord) Rice died (born December 8, 1899)
November 28, 1982: Colin Eaton Murphy was born in Cleveland, Ohio
November 1983: Steve and Millie came with Stephen and Carolyn to Cleveland.
January 1984: Steve Murphy has heart attack and is hospitalized.
February 8, 1984: Steve Murphy died of heart attack.
Summer 1984: Millie hosts bridal shower for Carolyn.
October 20, 1984: Stephen and Carolyn Burt married in East Hampton, Mass.
September 3, 1985: Devon Eaton Murphy was born in Cleveland, Ohio.
Millie makes maternity clothes and diaper bags for young friends and family.
November 1985: Millie, Stephen and Carolyn fly to Cleveland
to help Michael and Cathy get house ready to sell.
1987 to 2009 Millie travels to Asheville, NC, Annapolis, MD, and Bedford, NH
to visit her grandchildren. She makes them capes, tunics, and masks. Every year she is Nana the Santa and fills everyone’s stockings, buys us boxes of Rice Pilaf, and presents by the bushel full. Best bargains in town; most love in the universe.
Millie mows her lawn, tends her rock garden, helps her friends, sends cards to all she loves, frequents the Stoneham Library and reads five or six books a week, is a whiz at Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune and completes many word puzzles. She goes out on Stephen’s boat and visits Carolyn’s Ironstone Farm. Millie enjoys Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and birthdays with her two families: Stephen and Michael’s family and Donna’s family. Carolyn takes Millie to get materials for braiding rugs.
? Millie fell from large ? backyard tree she was pruning. After creeping across the yard, Millie’s crawled up the cement stairs and called Uncle Jim. She broke her wrist and hip????
Summer 1993: Great croquet tournament with Stevie and Cy Eaton in Bedford, NH.
March 2006: Stephen and Carolyn hosted Millie’s 80th birthday.
2007: David McCleary died.
May 2009??: Stephen and Michael convince Millie to attend Walter’s 80th birthday. Evelyn, Millie, and Walter get together first time in many years at Pawley’ Island
As new young families moved onto or near Randolph Road, Millie became a surrogate grandmother to the Manzi family (Joey, Brenna, Vin and Kelly) who called her Murph and the Wood family (John, Lisa, Jonathan, Anthony & Thomas) who called her Tweetie. These families have visited Millie frequently and brought her much joy.
January 2011: As Millie’s Alzheimer’s worsened and her heart weakened,
Stephen and Carolyn, Michael and Cathy, Donna Broderick, and Amy ?, and all Millie’s neighbors made it possible for Millie to stay in her home on 10 Randolph Road in Stoneham. Many friends and family visited over the next 9 months.
In January Amy became a 24/7 caregiver for Millie. Mary substituted for Amy. Donna began coming three times a week. Carolyn, Michael, and Stephen went to countless hospital visits, organized all the care-giving and medication, got wheel chairs for Millie, had bathroom aids and stairway railings installed for Millie.
March 14, 2011: Audrey Doris Rice died surrounded by loving family.
July 2011: Walter Rice came to visit Millie and Evelyn.
September 4, 2011: Millie entered Kaplan Family Hospice House on 78 Liberty Street in Danvers, MA.
September 9: Millie was alert for an hour, and her bed was wheeled outside her bedroom partially into the patio where she talked about ways to improve the garden.
September 10, 2011: Many friends and family visited Millie. Walter Rice and Linda Chase arrived in the early evening and Walter held a family prayer and blessing.
10 pm: Millie died. Cathy was holding her hand and Michael was by her side. The moon was full. The sky was bright
September 15, 2011: Millie’s service was held at the Barile Family Funeral Homes in Stoneham, Mass. Patti Keele presided. One of Millie’s braided rugs welcomed friends and family. An arrangement of plants were on the casket and another of Millie’s braided rugs was placed by the kneeler. Chocolate kisses were a treat for everyone. A board of photos celebrating Millie and a DVD of photos celebrated Millie’s life.
Millie was buried next to Steve at the ? cemetery in Stoneham, MA.