Erin Elizabeth Rice

Erin Elizabeth Rice, beloved wife, daughter, sister, and aunt, passed away Saturday, January 10, 2026, surrounded by loved ones at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. She was 43.

Born on June 20, 1982, in Riverside, California, Erin was the oldest daughter of John and Kathy (Hursh) Rice. Growing up in a military family, she got to see more of the world than most kids her age, with the family living in California, Germany, and Maine before settling in Massachusetts. By fifth grade, Massachusetts had become home, and it is where she spent her formative years. She graduated from Nashoba Regional High School and went on to UMass Amherst, where she earned her undergraduate degree in sociology. She later earned a master’s degree in women’s studies from Suffolk University. Following in the footsteps of her parents, both Air Force veterans, she became a lieutenant in the Massachusetts Army National Guard.

Erin was a voracious reader who loved animals of all kinds, especially her cats, Annabelle and Jezebel, as well as her parrot, Paco. She was the kindest and most thoughtful wife, daughter, sister, and friend, often showing it through her fantastic ability to pick out just the right gift for each person on every occasion. Erin’s greatest gifts to the world were her empathy and compassion, qualities that shaped her life and the way she cared for people and animals equally. In that same spirit of generosity, she was an organ donor, offering hope and life to others even beyond her own.

Erin is survived by her husband, Greg Hanna of Waltham; her parents, John and Kathy Rice; her siblings, Brittany Gamber, Ashley Winters and her husband, Chris, and Johnny Rice, all of Whitman; as well as her niece, nephews, and countless friends.

Friends and family will honor and remember Erin’s life by gathering at the Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main St., Waltham, on Saturday, January 31, where her Celebration of Life will be held, starting with a visitation from noon to 2 p.m., followed by the Sharing of Memories at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Erin’s memory to one of the following organizations: the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) or the National Alliance on Mental Illness Massachusetts (NAMI).