Mark S. Rice

Mark’s family will receive visitors from 5pm until 7pm on Monday June 28, 2021 with funeral service to be held at 1pm on Tuesday June 29, 2021, both at Resthaven’s Abbey Chappel. Masonic gravesite service will follow in Resthaven Memorial Park.

Mark graduated from Monterey High School in Lubbock in 1965 and attended Texas Tech University studying marketing. During Mark’s time as a student at Texas Tech University, he was an active member of Delta Tau Delta, Epsilon Delta Chapter and later served on the Delta Tau Delta House Corporation. Mark was proud of his ties to Texas Tech University and held memberships in the Texas Tech Ex-Students Association and Red Raider Club and always had his ‘Guns Up’ in support of his Red Raiders.

In 1969, Mark enlisted in the Army National Guard of Texas and was honorably discharged in 1975. Most notably, Mark was activated in response to the disaster relief efforts resulting from the Lubbock tornado of 1970.

Mark was a 32º Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner which became his lifelong philanthropic purpose. Mark was a second-generation Freemason and Shriner having been led to the craft by his father, Yale Harvard Rice, and to the Shrine by his uncle, Jack Reavis. Mark belonged to Yellowhouse Masonic Lodge #841 in Lubbock, the Scottish Rite Valley of Lubbock, Orient of Texas and Khiva Shrine Temple of Amarillo. During Mark’s time as a Freemason, he was both member and past-president of The South Plains Shrine Club, Khiva Lubbock Duffers, and the Royal Order of Jesters, Lubbock Billiken Club. Specifically the support of The Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and Shriner’s Hospital for Children was what Mark was most passionate about as a Freemason. Mark passed his love of being a Freemason to his nephew, Tony, the families third-generation 32º Scottish Rite Mason. In addition to his work as a Freemason, Mark also served as a board member of the South Plains Children Shelter, National Systems Builders Association and Southwest Systems Builders Association, serving as past-president. Mark volunteered with the Lubbock United Way and YMCA Indian Princess Program.

Mark loved to play golf and was a member of Lubbock Country Club where he shot a hole-in-one and took every opportunity to play at home, with the Khiva Duffers and while traveling. He also loved hunting at his lease near Gail, TX where he spent many nights around a campfire with dear friends David Workman and Harold Stuart. Above all else, Mark loved his family, specifically, being a father to his daughter, Mindy; the time they spent together is what Mark cherished most in this world.

His parents, Yale Harvard and Doris Inez Rice and his dear lifelong friends Bobby Joiner and Bobby Anderson preceded Mark in death.

Mark is survived by wife Liz of Lubbock and her children and grandchildren; daughter, Mindy Rice and wife Amy Teplow of Los Angeles, CA; sister, Pam and husband Scott Hartsfield of Lubbock; nephews Tony Hartsfield of Midland and Timmy Hartsfield of Albuquerque, NM. Words cannot express how greatly those that knew and loved Mark will miss him.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials sent to Shriners Hospital for Children. Special thank you to Interim Healthcare/Hospice of Lubbock for their care of Mark in his final days.