Richard Allen Rice

Richard Allen Rice was born in Portville to Forest and Belle Nagel Rice on April 30, 1935.

Dick attended Portville schools and graduated in 1954 from Portville Central High School.

After high school, Dick joined the U.S. Army. After three years, he traded his army greens for air force blues.

In July 1958, at a beach party, Dick met a young lady named Dona. On Dec. 22, 1958, they were married. Three weeks shy of 55 years later, they were separated by death when Dona passed away. Together, they raised five children. Heydad, as he was now known, was blessed with 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

While in the air force, Dick worked in the Gemini and Apollo space programs as a missile technician. In 1967, Dick retired from the U.S. Air Force with an honorable discharge and went to work for General Electric in the same space programs. Dick earned a bachelor’s degree in 1971 from Rollins College.

In 1973, he was hired by the Humphreys County Board of Education in Waverly, Tenn., as the teacher of its trades and industry class. Over the next 11 school years, he and his students built or restored 11 houses. He also earned a master’s degree in education. He then directed the cooperative education program at the Humphreys County Vocational Center and taught remedial and life skills classes.

Mr. Rice retired from full-time teaching in 1994. Many of his former students say the reason they have made a living is because of his classes.

Dick’s wife, Dona, became a travel agent, and they traveled to Europe, Mexico and all over North America. As a lover of World War II history, he especially enjoyed his multiple trips to Europe.

Dick was an active member of the Waverly United Methodist Church since 1974. He joined the Gideons International and was passionate about distributing Bibles to soldiers, his nurses, students and hotels around the world. For many years, when he was able, early Saturday mornings were reserved for the Gideons prayer meeting.

Richard Rice was known for his kindness, generosity, gentle spirit, incredibly sharp intellect, cornball dad humor and deep love. He was content knowing that God granted him blessings he never expected to receive in life. His family has been told many times by many people that Richard Rice was among the greatest men they had ever known.

Left behind to cherish his memory are his children, Judith Rice, Bonnie (Wayne) Durham, David (Courtney) Rice and Sandra (Jay) Rice-Cranford; grandchildren, Keith Rice, Jarod Rice, Samantha Judd (Darel) Shelton, Alex Judd, Toby (Rachael) Rice, Leah Rice, Aaron (Kate) Rice, Levi (Elisabeth) Rice, Sophie-Belle Rice, Evangeline Rice, James Rice, Havalah Rice and Ruthie Rice; four great grandchildren; foster sister, Rochelle Palmer; many loving nieces and nephews; his little dog, Annie; and friends and admirers too numerous to count.

Richard was predeceased by his parents, Forest and Belle Rice; siblings, Robert, David, John, James and Marilyn Piepho; beloved wife, Dona; and son, Samuel.

Donations in his memory can be made to The Gideons International.