Stephen Wayne Rice

On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, Steve Rice, loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother; humorous and hard-working colleague, dedicated sports fan, exercise fitness guy, and passionate animal lover, passed away suddenly in Columbus, Ohio at the age of 74.

Steve was born on December 11, 1948, in Parkersburg, West Virginia to Maynard Wayne Rice and Mary Frances Rice, though he quickly became a surrogate son to his beloved Aunt Betsy and Uncle Harold. He was a student athlete in swimming at Parkersburg High School, after which he left for a 4-year stint in the U.S. Navy, where he served in Vietnam. Upon discharge from the Navy, Steve returned to West Virginia, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s in Business before beginning a successful career in sales and marketing with high profile industries like Proctor and Gamble, Big Pharma, and Siemens Medical Equipment. In the late 1980s Steve relocated to Columbus, Ohio and pursued his dream of teaching accounting at a couple of small two-year schools.

Steve met and embarked upon a whirlwind romance with his wife, Elizabeth Gage, in June of 1996. Steve and Elizabeth were married in a small and simple ceremony on October 18, 1996.

In 1998, Steve left teaching for a career in the financial services industry, first at Discover Card/Morgan Stanley, then to Morgan Stanley’s Columbus Operations Center, where he moved swiftly through the ranks, retiring from the company as a Vice President in 2014.

Steve reveled in retirement, returning to his time as an athletic swimmer, exercising in his home gym, taking up cooking, listening to audio books, and loving his multiple ShihTzus , as well as his most recent rescue, a Bichon named Fannie.

Steve was an avid sports fan, particularly of Ohio State Buckeye football, the Cleveland Browns, and all things ESPN. Steve lovingly saved and replayed the Buckeye National Championship game in 2014 until his cable box had to be replaced by a newer version, forever to his disappointment.

Steve was a loving, loyal, smart, wisecracking, and greatly beloved presence in the lives of all who knew him and loved him. He was preceded in death by his parents, Maynard and Mary, and is survived by his wife Elizabeth; brother Tom (Amy) Rice; son Josh (Sherrie) Rice; daughter Suzanne (Shawn) Shoulders; grandson Caleb Rice; and his adored Shih Tzus Sadie and Maggie as well as Fannie, his sweet Bichon. His pups miss him terribly.

Steve did not want a funeral or memorial service. In his memory, donations can be made to The James Cancer Hospital at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center at How to Donate | OSUCCC – James) to Ohio FuzzyPawz Shih Tzu Rescue at Donation and Planned Giving Information (ohiofuzzypawz.com) or to the Immune Deficiency Foundation, the organization that works tirelessly to provide key information, patient support, and legislative advocacy for people like wife Elizabeth Gage-Rice living with rare primary immune deficiency diseases. The Foundation’s website is www.primaryimmune.org.