Irma Ann Rice

PORTLAND – Irma Ann Rice, 94, formerly of Cape Elizabeth, passed away on Nov. 16, 2019 at Maine Medical Center surrounded by her family. She was born on Feb. 7, 1925, in Boston, the daughter of the late Fiorenzo Cardellicchio and Lydia Cangiano Cardellicchio, Italian Immigrants.She attended school in Dorchester, Mass. and upon graduation, attended Boston Conservatory of Music studying opera. In 1946 she married the late Dominic Sola. They had five children and raised their family in Westwood, Mass. After Dominic’s death, she moved to Cape Elizabeth. She met and married Dr. Francis P. Rice, and was happily married for 28 years until his death in 2011. She was predeceased by her sister, Madeline and brother, Daniel. In 2010, she was predeceased by her son, Frank Sola.Family meant everything to her, and she consistently put them first. She loved singing and music, and had a God given talent for art. She was an avid reader, and enjoyed crossword puzzles, gardening, and was an excellent cook. She was a lifetime lover of cats. Her favorite holiday was Christmas, and she had a party every Christmas Eve for family and friends and always served traditional Italian favorites as well as many other delicious foods that others enjoyed.She is survived by her sister, Marie Lemieux of Smithfield; her four daughters, Ann Parker and her husband Robert of Portland with whom she resided with the last three years, Marie Sola Farnsworth and her husband Christian of South Portland, Ellen Nopper and her late husband, Richard of Wilmington, Del., and her daughter, Elise Sola of Redwood City, Calif.; stepdaughter, Linda Rice and stepson, David Rice and wife Eva; 11 grandchildren, Amanda Place of Portland and fiance Chris Kurlanski, Ian Place of Cambridge, Mass., Wayde Daigneault and wife Raisa of Sterling, Va., Caleb Crocker, Katie De Pasquale and husband Joe of Balimore, Md., Jospeh Nopper of Newcastle, Del. and his wife Laura, Andrea Nopper, Michelle Sola and her partner Christian, of Norwood, Mass., Hank Sola and his wife Anastasia of Wellsley, Mass., Thomas Sola and wife Heather of Petaluma, Calif. and Dominic Sola of Cumberland. She is also survived by 11 great-grandchildren, Isabella and Chiara Faulkner, Hayley and Tyler Daigneault, Noah and Bella Nopper, Nico and Julian De Pasquale, JJ, Noah Sola, Mila Sola; many nieces and nephews. She will be sadly missed by family and friends.Irma’s family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to nursing staff and doctors at MMC RS, to RN. Addy, at Northern Lights Home Health and Hospice, to Shane and Ellen at Aging Excellence, and to Julie Prevost-Lucci RN at the Barron Center Adult Day program. Also thanks to Krissy, Sharri, and a very special thanks to caregiver Joe Wright who helped us from day one and quickly became part of our family.Visitation is 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019 at Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Road, South Portland. A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. at the funeral home, with burial at Riverside Cemetery, Cape Elizabeth after the service. A reception will follow the burial. Online condolences may be expressed at www.hobbsfuneralhome.com. 

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