Amory Rice Wade

It is with great sadness, that we announce the death of our mother, Amory Rice Wade, who passed away peacefully on Monday, December 8, 2025, at the age of 93. Amory Wade was predeceased by her parents, Edith and Everett Rice; her brother J. MacDougal Rice, her sister Lydia Glenn and many dear friends from Northern Virginia, and many other places around the country. She is survived by her children and their spouses: Lydia and Jim Camp; Laurie and Curt Henderson; and Amie Wonch; and her 5 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Amory was born on November 4, 1932 on an Army base in China. She was one of three children of Edith and Everett Rice. Mom was still a child, living near Anchorage, Alaska when the United States officially entered World War II. She along with her mother, brother and sister, were evacuated to the contiguous United States, while her father, an Army Officer stayed behind. The family lived all over the country while her father continued to serve in the military and eventually settled down in Virginia.

Mom graduated from Osbourn High School in 1949 and graduated with a Bachelors in Science from Virginia Polytechnical Institute later known as Virginia Tech in 1953. In 1960, she earned her Master’s in Education from University of Virginia. Some of Mom’s professional positions included: working as a High School Science, English and Biology teacher; as a Laboratory Manager at a Hematology Research Laboratory for the University of Virginia; as a Counselor; and an Inmate Hearing Advisor. Much of her time from the late seventies to mid-nineties was spent starting up the Juvenile Outreach program and working as the Juvenile Outreach Supervisor for the Prince William County Courts. Many of Mom’s educational and professional achievements occurred while raising her three girls as a single parent.

While she loved her family, gardening and animals, she strongly believed in being kind and helping others. In addition to being a Virginia Board Certified Professional Counselor, she was a certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. As a Reiki Master, she enjoyed giving Reiki to people and animals. She shared her time and talent helping people heal through hypnosis and Reiki. Part of Mom’s continued service to others, included helping her daughter Lydia establish Blue Ridge Assistance Dogs (BRAD). Blue Ridge Assistance Dogs was founded as a non-profit group dedicated to providing Service Dogs to children, adults and veterans who had disabilities. As an integral part of BRAD: she assisted with the births of 6 litters of puppies; helped name the puppies; provided a home for BRAD headquarters, including training space for the puppies, their handlers and eventual recipients.

Amory often used her sense of humor to spread joy or make a point and she will be honored with a celebration of life later in the Spring, in Manassas, Virginia. The family asks that in her memory, you share an act of kindness or would welcome donations made to your favorite animal charity.

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