MSgt. Rice was born on September 29, 1944 in Lamesa, Texas to JC and Follia Rice who preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife Mary, son Daniel (Clare) and three grandchildren: Eric, Emmett and Eleanor. Also surviving is his twin sister, Faye Wauson, 2 nieces, a great niece and nephew and 2 great-great nephews.
MSgt. Rice graduated from Seminole, TX, High School in 1963. He attended Levelland College for one year. He enlisted in the US Army in September, 1964. He served 20 years retiring in 1984. His stateside tours were in Louisiana, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky and Virginia. His overseas assignments were Okinawa, Viet Nam and Hungary. He was awarded numerous medals. Upon his retirement from the Army, he worked for American Systems Corp. for over twenty years. His “retirement” job was as a narrator for Tourmobile giving tours of Washington, DC and Arlington National Cemetery.
He was a member of the Vienna Chapter of Quilter’s Unlimited. Bill was an avid quilter designing his own patterns and using published patterns. He made over 5000 stuffed bears as a community service project. The bears were donated to local hospitals to be given to children in the emergency room.
Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorials can be made to:
Honor Flights at honorflights.org
Viet Nam Veterans of America at vva.org/donate
Vienna Chapter, Quilter’s Unlimited at quiltersunlimited.org/donate
