Joan Slavin Rice of Portsmouth, N.H., passed away on March 4, 2024, after a four-year struggle with ovarian cancer.
Born December 29, 1948, in Boston, Joan’s mother, Leona Bruck Slavin, was intelligent, fashionable, and beautiful. She was an active volunteer and president of the Watertown (Ma.) League of Women Voters. Lee also passed away from cancer when Joan was 10. Her father, Robert M. Slavin, was left as sole parent. He was a rocket scientist working for Aerospace Instrumention Lab in Bedford, Ma. Major project credits included the lunar module.
Throughout her life Joan would encompass her mother’s beauty and style plus her dad’s wisdom and scientific practicality. She was blessed with gracious charm, kindness, and the ability to connect, inspire, and encourage others.
A Home Economics major at UNH (1970) she was also a passionate Wildcat hockey fan. Legend has it that she was once thrown out of Snively Arena for harassing the Dartmouth goalie. As an adult, wherever she was in the world, she knew when the Cats were playing and tuned in without fail.
It was at UNH she met the love of her life John Rice with whom she would have celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary on March 23. Their love story and devotion through thick and thin was an inspiration to others.
Joan rose from the secretarial pool at Liberty Mutual to planned giving and trust positions at Boston Safe, Wheaton, Tufts, and St. Paul’s School. Later she held similar positions at Indian Head and 1st New Hampshire Bank, Exeter Trust and finally Deeridge Trust in Portsmouth. During a transition period, she flourished as the beloved director of Leadership Seacoast for 3 years.
Joan served on numerous charitable boards including, among others, the Gundalow Company, Colonial Dames, the Rosamond Thaxter Foundation, Prescott Park Arts Festival, Strawbery Banke, and the UNH Alumni Association.
Joan cherished her relationships with numerous friends, especially “The Mavens” who played Mahjong together without fail weekly. She was a devoted mother to her only child, Thomas Peirce Rice, her grandson Wyatt John Rice, and her adopted daughter, Gaby Jaramillo Mihovan.
She is survived by her husband John W. Rice of Portsmouth, son Thomas, grandson Wyatt and Jenny Lynn Campbell Rice of Shelburne. N.S., Canada. Also, Gaby and Mike Mihovan and their children Connor and Victoria of Falmouth, Ma. Immediate family survivors include cousins Susan Baker-Kaplan of Portland, Me., John Baker of Chagrin Falls, Oh., Joe Pollock of Wilton, N.H., Sarah Baker of Portland, Me., Katie Baker, Richmond, Va., and the Coulombe family.
Services will be held at 1:30 pm Monday, March 18 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Chapel Street, Portsmouth. A live stream will be available through the funeral home website on Joan’s obituary page. Burial will be later in the spring. Arrangements are under the direction and care of the J. Verne Wood Funeral Home – Buckminster Chapel.
