Jeanne Bice
Encyclopedia
Jeanne Bice 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. Her company, Quacker Factory, has grossed more than $50 million in sales, as of March 2011. She was also a frequent guest on The Soup
, appearing opposite host Joel McHale
.
Bice was born on July 20, 1939, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
, where she was also raised. She later moved to the nearby town of Ripon, Wisconsin
as an adult. Bice and her husband, Arlow "Butch" Bice Jr., had a son and a daughter, Tim and Lee. She opened her first store, a women's apparel and gift shop
called The Silent Woman, with friend Maryanne Diedrich, as a hobby. Her original store, which was bankrolled by both of their husbands, was located at Ransom and East Fond du Lac Streets in Ripon.
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. Now a widowed housewife at 40 years old, Bice needed a source of income
and had few career skills at the time. Bice, with the help of business partner Maryanne Diedrich, who divorced around the same time, and other friends from Ripon, began creating a seasonal clothing line which she designed and decorated. The clothing line would become Quacker Factory. 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."
Bice relocated to Florida in 1983, but continued to work on the Quacker Factory line and its eventual parent company, The Quack, Inc. She made her first appearance in QVC, a home shopping network based in Pennsylvania, on February 4, 1995. 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. The first show created a sixteen year relationship with QVC and led to Bice's numerous appearances on the network. Viewers began watching her QVC not only for her products, but also for Bice's stories as well. Bice was known on-air for her trademark headbands and sequenced, decorated clothing. Her partnership with QVC transformed Quacker Factory from a small company into a multi-million dollar business, grossing more than $50 million as of March 2011.
Bice's appearances on QVC and her Quacker Factory line made her a cult figure to her fans. Her core group of more than two million fans and customers call themselves "quackers." 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.
Jeanne Bice died of complications from uterine cancer on June 10, 2011, at the age of 71. She was a resident of Boca Raton, Florida
.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, businesswoman and television personality. Bice was the founder of the Quacker Factory clothing line, which led to frequent appearances on QVC
QVC
QVC is a multinational corporation specializing in televised home shopping. Founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel in West Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, United States, QVC broadcasts in five countries as QVC US, QVC UK, QVC Germany, QVC Japan and – QVC Italy to 200 million households...
beginning in 1995. Her company, Quacker Factory, has grossed more than $50 million in sales, as of March 2011. She was also a frequent guest on The Soup
The Soup
The Soup is an E! Entertainment Television weekly series; it is a revamped version of Talk Soup that focuses on recaps of various pop culture and television show moments of the week...
, appearing opposite host Joel McHale
Joel McHale
Joel Edward McHale is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, television producer, television personality, and voice artist. He is best known for hosting The Soup and for his role as Jeff Winger on Community....
.
Bice was born on July 20, 1939, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Fond du Lac is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. The name is French for bottom of the lake, for it is located at the bottom of Lake Winnebago. The population was 42,203 at the 2000 census...
, where she was also raised. She later moved to the nearby town of Ripon, Wisconsin
Ripon, Wisconsin
Ripon is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,828. The City of Ripon's official website claims the city's current population to be 7,701. The city is surrounded by the Town of Ripon....
as an adult. Bice and her husband, Arlow "Butch" Bice Jr., had a son and a daughter, Tim and Lee. She opened her first store, a women's apparel and gift shop
Gift shop
A gift shop is a store primarily selling souvenirs relating to a particular topic or theme. The items sold often include coffee mugs, stuffed animals, t-shirts, postcards, handmade collections and other souvenirs....
called The Silent Woman, with friend Maryanne Diedrich, as a hobby. Her original store, which was bankrolled by both of their husbands, was located at Ransom and East Fond du Lac Streets in Ripon.
Bice's husband, Butch Bice, died of a sudden heart attack in 1981 at the age of 42, leaving her a widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
with two children to support. Now a widowed housewife at 40 years old, Bice needed a source of income
Income
Income is the consumption and savings opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. However, for households and individuals, "income is the sum of all the wages, salaries, profits, interests payments, rents and other forms of earnings...
and had few career skills at the time. Bice, with the help of business partner Maryanne Diedrich, who divorced around the same time, and other friends from Ripon, began creating a seasonal clothing line which she designed and decorated. The clothing line would become Quacker Factory. 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."
Bice relocated to Florida in 1983, but continued to work on the Quacker Factory line and its eventual parent company, The Quack, Inc. She made her first appearance in QVC, a home shopping network based in Pennsylvania, on February 4, 1995. 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. The first show created a sixteen year relationship with QVC and led to Bice's numerous appearances on the network. Viewers began watching her QVC not only for her products, but also for Bice's stories as well. Bice was known on-air for her trademark headbands and sequenced, decorated clothing. Her partnership with QVC transformed Quacker Factory from a small company into a multi-million dollar business, grossing more than $50 million as of March 2011.
Bice's appearances on QVC and her Quacker Factory line made her a cult figure to her fans. Her core group of more than two million fans and customers call themselves "quackers." She frequently filmed guest appearances on The Soup
The Soup
The Soup is an E! Entertainment Television weekly series; it is a revamped version of Talk Soup that focuses on recaps of various pop culture and television show moments of the week...
and kept a Soup Award given to her by Joel McHale
Joel McHale
Joel Edward McHale is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, television producer, television personality, and voice artist. He is best known for hosting The Soup and for his role as Jeff Winger on Community....
in her office, according to a 2011 interview with the Huffington Post.
Jeanne Bice died of complications from uterine cancer on June 10, 2011, at the age of 71. She was a resident of Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
.