Waterbury, VT Faye Allen Sweet Rice died peacefully the evening of February 21, 2020, with family at her side. Faye was born May 11, 1925 to Lucy Arvilla (Gray) Sweet and Allen Wait Sweet at their home in Waddington, NY. Salutatorian of her high school class in 1944, after graduation Faye volunteered as a Plane Spotter to detect and record aircraft that flew over the St. Lawrence River near her home. She then worked at the Aluminum Company of Massena, stamping ingot samples and helping with the bookkeeping. In the fall of 1944, at the urging of her uncle, she enlisted in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps in Plattsburgh and trained in Ogdensburg, Watertown, and Long Island. As the war was over when she completed her training, she wasn't obligated to enter service and received her honorable discharge as a 1st Lieutenant from the St. Lawrence County Clerk on March 3, 1947. Faye also graduated as a registered nurse in 1947, and worked at the House of The Good Samaritan in Watertown that summer. In the fall she entered Plattsburgh State Teachers College, now SUNY Plattsburgh, to pursue a bachelor's degree in school nurse teaching which she received in 1948. Her first position was at the Hounsfield Central School in Sackets Harbor. This is where she also met her husband, Arthur Brownell Rice, son of Kathryn (Brownell) Rice and W. Karl Rice, Adams, NY. Arthur was teaching art at Case Junior High in Watertown at the time and they courted while carpooling to take classes at Syracuse University, marrying in Sackets Harbor on August 15, 1953. Art and Faye lived in Sackets Harbor and Henderson Harbor before making their permanent home in Henderson, NY. Faye resigned from Hounsfield Central in 1955 to take care of their children. She returned to school nursing in 1965 in the South Jefferson Central School District. She also worked as the staff nurse at Association Island, and as a summer school nurse in local districts during the 1960's. In 1980 she retired from nursing and worked instead for Sears in Watertown. From 1981-1985 she and Art were full time caregivers for his mother, Kathryn, in their home. Faye lost her husband of 50 years in 2004. In 2013 she moved to Vermont to be closer to family, where she still enjoyed keeping in touch with the local north country news, anticipating each edition of the South Jefferson Journal and the Watertown Daily Times. A fourth generation great granddaughter of Benjamin Wait, founder of Waitsfield, VT, Faye's and her sister Barbara's shared interests in genealogy uncovered many lines of Sweet and Rice family descent. Also the daughter, granddaughter, and niece of Waddington ball players who were recruited by the Chicago White Sox, Faye's athleticism found expression through basketball, which she played in high school, college, and with the Sackets Inn women's team, a part of the Watertown City Recreation League. Other lifelong interests included her beloved pet cats, reading, doing crossword puzzles, cooking scrumptious fare, watching Syracuse Basketball, and of course family gatherings which often included her homemade cookies and pies as well as her after dinner victories at croquet. Faye is survived by her children Stephen Arthur Rice and his wife Patricia Anne (Thornton) Rice; Theodore Karl Rice and his wife Barbara Jean Birchem; and Penelope Rice Nolte and her husband James Stuart Nolte. She is also survived by her grandchildren Keith Thomas Rice and his wife Kara (Schofield) Rice; Darcey Faye (Rice) Mickelson and her husband Jared Daniel Mickelson; Seth Jeffrey Birchem Rice, Claire Glori Birchem Rice; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Art, parents Lucy and Allen Sweet, brothers Arthur Gray Sweet and Herbert Allen Sweet, sister Barbara Emogene Sweet, nephew John H. Sweet, and granddaughter Eve-Angeline Rice Nolte. Faye's family is grateful for her friends in Waddington, Sackets, Henderson, the Waterbury Senior Center apartments, Woodridge Nursing and Rehabilitation, and Bayada Hospice. As her wish, a picnic will be held in her honor at a time to be determined. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a gift of any amount to the Henderson Historical Society, 12581 County Road, Henderson, New York, 13650. Also, please consider writing your congress men and women in support of legislation to formally honor the more than 120,000 young women who served their country in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps between 1943 and 1948. The family is being assisted in arrangements by Guare & Sons Funeral home of Montpelier, VT. Those wishing to leave condolences online may do so at www.guareandsons.com