Jeanne Bice | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 20, 1939
Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | June 10, 2011 (aged 71)
Boca Raton, Florida, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | entrepreneur, businesswoman, and television personality |
Jeanne Bice (July 20, 1939 – June 10, 2011) was an entrepreneur, businesswoman and television personality. Bice was the founder of the Quacker Factory clothing line, which led to frequent appearances on QVC beginning in 1995. [1] [2] [3] Her company, Quacker Factory, has grossed more than $50 million in sales, as of March 2011. [1] She was also a frequent guest on The Soup, appearing opposite host Joel McHale. [1]
Early life
Bice was born on July 20, 1939, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where she was also raised. [1] [2] She later moved to the nearby town of Ripon, Wisconsin as an adult. [2] Bice and her husband, Arlow "Butch" Bice Jr., had a son and a daughter, Tim and Lee. [1] [2] She opened her first store, a women's apparel and gift shop called The Silent Woman, with friend Maryanne Diedrich, as a hobby. [2] Her original store, which was bankrolled by both of their husbands, [3] was located at Ransom and East Fond du Lac Streets in Ripon. [2]
The Quack and QVC
Bice's husband, Butch Bice, died of a sudden heart attack in 1981 at the age of 42, leaving her a widow with two children to support. [2] Now a widowed housewife at 40 years old, Bice needed a source of income and had few career skills at the time. [2] Bice, with the help of business partner Maryanne Diedrich, who divorced around the same time, [3] and other friends from Ripon, began creating a seasonal clothing line which she designed and decorated. [1] [2] The clothing line would become Quacker Factory. [1] In 2007, Bice elaborated on the early days of her business with the Palm Beach Post, "I never wanted to be in business. Mary Ann and I went into business on an absolute lark, and the result became the mainstay and support of our lives. Our shop was truly a gift from God. Mary Ann and I helped raised each other's kids, and helped each other figure out where we were going and how to get there." [3]
Bice relocated to Florida in 1983, but continued to work on the Quacker Factory line and its eventual parent company, The Quack, Inc. [2] She made her first appearance in QVC, a home shopping network based in Pennsylvania, on February 4, 1995. [4] Her QVC debut proved a financial success, with her entire product line selling out in a few minutes while the show was still on the air. [4] The first show created a sixteen-year relationship with QVC and led to Bice's numerous appearances on the network. [1] Viewers began watching her QVC not only for her products, but also for Bice's stories as well. [4] Bice was known on-air for her trademark headbands and sequined, decorated clothing. [1] Her partnership with QVC transformed Quacker Factory from a small company into a multimillion-dollar business, grossing more than $50 million as of March 2011. [1] [4]
Bice's appearances on QVC and her Quacker Factory line made her a cult figure to her fans. [1] Her core group of more than two million fans [3] and customers call themselves "quackers." [2] She frequently filmed guest appearances on The Soup and kept a Soup Award given to her by Joel McHale in her office, according to a 2011 interview with the Huffington Post. [5]
Death
Jeanne Bice died of complications from uterine cancer on June 10, 2011, at the age of 71. [2] She was a resident of Boca Raton, Florida. [3]
In popular culture
Nicole Parker portrayed Bice in three comedy sketches lampooning Quacker Factory during seasons 11 and 12 of Mad TV. [6]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Juzwiak, Rich (June 13, 2011). "QVC's Jeanne Bice Dead at 71". TV Guide. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Lyke, Tim (June 13, 2011). "Ripon's hometown girl Jeanne Bice dies at 71". Ripon Press. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f Tuckwood, Jan (June 13, 2011). "Queen of the 'Quackers' turned world on with her sparkle". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
- ^ a b c d "QVC's Jeanne Bice Dies at 71". Parade Magazine. Palm Beach Post. June 13, 2011. Archived from the original on June 19, 2011. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
- ^ Garry, Greg (March 17, 2011). "Jeanne Bice Quacks Me Up". Huffington Post. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
- ^ "[MADtv] Quacker Factory". Planet MADtv. February 8, 2006. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 1939 births
- 2011 deaths
- American women television personalities
- American fashion designers
- American women fashion designers
- Businesspeople from Wisconsin
- Businesspeople from Florida
- People from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
- People from Ripon, Wisconsin
- People from Boca Raton, Florida
- QVC people
- 20th-century American businesswomen
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- 21st-century American businesswomen
- 21st-century American businesspeople
- Television personalities from Florida
Jeanne Bice | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 20, 1939
Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | June 10, 2011 (aged 71)
Boca Raton, Florida, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | entrepreneur, businesswoman, and television personality |
Jeanne Bice (July 20, 1939 – June 10, 2011) was an entrepreneur, businesswoman and television personality. Bice was the founder of the Quacker Factory clothing line, which led to frequent appearances on QVC beginning in 1995. [1] [2] [3] Her company, Quacker Factory, has grossed more than $50 million in sales, as of March 2011. [1] She was also a frequent guest on The Soup, appearing opposite host Joel McHale. [1]
Early life
Bice was born on July 20, 1939, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where she was also raised. [1] [2] She later moved to the nearby town of Ripon, Wisconsin as an adult. [2] Bice and her husband, Arlow "Butch" Bice Jr., had a son and a daughter, Tim and Lee. [1] [2] She opened her first store, a women's apparel and gift shop called The Silent Woman, with friend Maryanne Diedrich, as a hobby. [2] Her original store, which was bankrolled by both of their husbands, [3] was located at Ransom and East Fond du Lac Streets in Ripon. [2]
The Quack and QVC
Bice's husband, Butch Bice, died of a sudden heart attack in 1981 at the age of 42, leaving her a widow with two children to support. [2] Now a widowed housewife at 40 years old, Bice needed a source of income and had few career skills at the time. [2] Bice, with the help of business partner Maryanne Diedrich, who divorced around the same time, [3] and other friends from Ripon, began creating a seasonal clothing line which she designed and decorated. [1] [2] The clothing line would become Quacker Factory. [1] In 2007, Bice elaborated on the early days of her business with the Palm Beach Post, "I never wanted to be in business. Mary Ann and I went into business on an absolute lark, and the result became the mainstay and support of our lives. Our shop was truly a gift from God. Mary Ann and I helped raised each other's kids, and helped each other figure out where we were going and how to get there." [3]
Bice relocated to Florida in 1983, but continued to work on the Quacker Factory line and its eventual parent company, The Quack, Inc. [2] She made her first appearance in QVC, a home shopping network based in Pennsylvania, on February 4, 1995. [4] Her QVC debut proved a financial success, with her entire product line selling out in a few minutes while the show was still on the air. [4] The first show created a sixteen-year relationship with QVC and led to Bice's numerous appearances on the network. [1] Viewers began watching her QVC not only for her products, but also for Bice's stories as well. [4] Bice was known on-air for her trademark headbands and sequined, decorated clothing. [1] Her partnership with QVC transformed Quacker Factory from a small company into a multimillion-dollar business, grossing more than $50 million as of March 2011. [1] [4]
Bice's appearances on QVC and her Quacker Factory line made her a cult figure to her fans. [1] Her core group of more than two million fans [3] and customers call themselves "quackers." [2] She frequently filmed guest appearances on The Soup and kept a Soup Award given to her by Joel McHale in her office, according to a 2011 interview with the Huffington Post. [5]
Death
Jeanne Bice died of complications from uterine cancer on June 10, 2011, at the age of 71. [2] She was a resident of Boca Raton, Florida. [3]
In popular culture
Nicole Parker portrayed Bice in three comedy sketches lampooning Quacker Factory during seasons 11 and 12 of Mad TV. [6]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Juzwiak, Rich (June 13, 2011). "QVC's Jeanne Bice Dead at 71". TV Guide. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Lyke, Tim (June 13, 2011). "Ripon's hometown girl Jeanne Bice dies at 71". Ripon Press. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f Tuckwood, Jan (June 13, 2011). "Queen of the 'Quackers' turned world on with her sparkle". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
- ^ a b c d "QVC's Jeanne Bice Dies at 71". Parade Magazine. Palm Beach Post. June 13, 2011. Archived from the original on June 19, 2011. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
- ^ Garry, Greg (March 17, 2011). "Jeanne Bice Quacks Me Up". Huffington Post. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
- ^ "[MADtv] Quacker Factory". Planet MADtv. February 8, 2006. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 1939 births
- 2011 deaths
- American women television personalities
- American fashion designers
- American women fashion designers
- Businesspeople from Wisconsin
- Businesspeople from Florida
- People from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
- People from Ripon, Wisconsin
- People from Boca Raton, Florida
- QVC people
- 20th-century American businesswomen
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- 21st-century American businesswomen
- 21st-century American businesspeople
- Television personalities from Florida