Annie Laura (Kempton) Rice
Annie Laura (Kempton) Rice of Hudson, NH passed away after a period of declining health on May 1, 2022. Annie was the daughter of the late James W. and Lena M. (Bowers) Kempton of West Fairlee, VT. Annie was born at the family farm where she helped her parents raise dairy cattle, horses, and produce. In order to attend high school, she then moved to Northfield, VT to live with her older brother James G. Kempton and his wife Vesta. Upon graduation, she attended Mary Hitchcock School of Nursing in Hanover NH and received her RN in 1955. This was followed by her BS in Nursing from Boston University, Boston MA in 1959.
Annie started her nursing career in Providence RI where she met her husband Abbott E. Rice. They were married in August 1959 and lived in Duxbury MA, Bangor ME and Laconia, NH. Annie worked at several hospitals during this time while raising four children. During the mid-seventies, Annie and Abbott moved their family to Hudson, NH where she resided for 47 years. She worked throughout Southern NH as part of the Pine Hill Nurses Registry and eventually retired from Greenbriar Nursing home of Nashua in 1999.
Annie was very proud of her garden of perennials, vegetables, and fruit trees. In the mid-eighties, Annie and Abbott were instrumental in establishing the Community Gardens in Hudson NH and helped others learn to grow their own vegetables. Annie was also known for her involvement with community organizations. She was an active member of the Hudson Community Church in Hudson, NH being involved with the Church Council, Diaconate, Woman’s Fellowship, and other programs. She was also a member of the Wattanick Grange, Hudson NH serving as Lecturer and Secretary for many years. She was particularly fond of traveling to Grange Weekends and setting up the camper for those events. Additionally, she was a member of the Pilgrim Chapter of Eastern Star, Nashua NH.
Annie was predeceased by her husband Abbott, her son James, her parents, her brothers James and his wife Vesta, Willard and his wife Mary, her half-sister Flora Macdonald, her sister Rachel and husband Robert Conniff, and sister Betsy and husband Leo Richardson. Annie is survived by her daughter Beverly A. Tedeschi and husband Frank Tedeschi of Plymouth NH, her son Abbott E. Rice, Jr. “Rick” of Hudson, NH, and her son David K. Rice and his wife Laurel of Wakefield, MA. Her grandchildren include Sabrina and Troy Tedeschi and Bradley, Timothy, Linnea, and Abigail Rice. She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews as well as Abbott’s siblings George (wife Sandy) and Williard Jr, Rice.
A time of visitation will be held on Monday, May 16th from 4:00pm – 5:30pm with a Service of Remembrance at 5:30pm in the Dumont-Sullivan Funeral Home, 50 Ferry St., in Hudson. A Graveside Service will take place on Tuesday, May 17th at 11:00am in Newton Cemetery, 791 Walnut St., Newton Center, MA. All may please meet at the cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in Annie’s loving memory to the Meals on Wheels program at www.hcmow.org.