Melinda Rosini

June 11, 1956-September 21, 2025

 Mary Melinda Rice Rosini, 69, of Northumberland, died Sunday, September 21, 2025 at Geisinger Medical Center after a brief illness.

Born July 11, 1956 in Jacksonville, N.C., Melinda was the daughter of Attorney Francis W. Rice and Mary Elizabeth Braun Rice, of Sunbury, who preceded her in death.

Melinda was a 1974 graduate of Shikellamy High School, and graduated magna cum laude from Penn State University in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.  She was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.

After graduating from Penn State, Melinda spent nearly 50 years as an educator, teaching hundreds of elementary and middle school students in the Shikellamy, Central Bucks, State College, Bellefonte, and Danville school districts.

Along with her parents, Melinda was preceded in death by her brothers, Hon. Carl B. Rice and Frederick W. Rice; by her step-father, Guido Varano; and, by her cousins, Lt. Michael P. Rice and Eric Rice, all originally from Sunbury.

Surviving is her partner, John F. Butkofsky of Northumberland; her children, Michael Conti and wife Leighan of Atlanta, Matthew Conti and wife Robin of Carmel, Ind., and Meghan Pacifico and husband Cole Weinman of Denver; her grandchildren, Olivia Conti and Matthew Conti of Carmel, Ind., and her brother, Francis "Chip" and Michelle (Stuck) Rice of Mechanicsburg.

Melinda loved her children and had profound adoration for her grandchildren.  Her other loves included traveling, classic rock, animals and Penn State Football.  She was a member of the Penn State Alumni Association, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, Sunbury Social Club and former member of the Sunbury Elks.

A viewing and brief memorial service will be held Tuesday, October 14, 2025 from 5:00pm-7:00pm at the Joseph W. Epler Funeral Home, 210 King Street, Northumberland.