Posted on: Wednesday, November 10, 2004

'Billie' Rice Veech devoted life to social causes

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

Francelia "Billie" Rice Veech, a longtime volunteer and early member of the Outdoor Circle, died Oct. 15 in Honolulu. She was 92.

Veech was born Francelia Knapp on Aug. 17, 1912, in Jackson, Mich., and graduated from the University of California and the New York School of Social Work. She moved to San Francisco, where she worked on the staff of the YWCA and San Francisco Community Chest.

In 1944, she came to Hawai'i, and served as home service director of the American Red Cross on Kaua'i. In 1945, she married Richard Rice, a member of the prominent Rice family.

While raising a family, Veech continued to work for social causes. She was president of the Girl Scouts and YWCA, and on the national YWCA board.

Veech also was an early member of the Outdoor Circle. As president she helped lead the fight to ban billboards in Hawai'i and preserve the slopes of Diamond Head by encouraging the Legislature to declare it a state monument. She also was active with the Makiki Neighborhood Board and Aloha United Way, and she was a member of Central Union Church and O'ahu Country Club.

Her son, Richard, said she was one of the first trained social workers here and spent a lifetime working to better Hawai'i.

"She came as a malihini and became as kama'aina as anyone could ever be," he said. "Her enduring passion was Hawai'i. That's why she gave of herself in that social-service kind of way."

Veech's first husband died in a traffic accident in January 1966. In 1975, she married John Veech.

Billie Veech is survived by sons, John Steelquist and Richard Rice; stepdaughters, Maile Arnold, Shelia Zaretsky and Carvel Veech; stepson, Alexander Veech; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Arcadia Retirement Residence. Donations may be made to the Girl Scouts or the YWCA.

Reach Curtis Lum at 525-8025 or culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.