Robert W. Rice

ROBERT ( BILL) W. RICE, AGE 94, WAS BORN IN TOLEDO OHIO, OF VENICE, FL AND FORMERLY OF SPRINGFIELD, OH. HE WAS THE FIRST OF SIX CHILDREN BORN TO THE LATE GERTRUDE AND ROBERT RICE. HE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS FIVE SIBLINGS MARY, JANE (JAMES) GOURLEY, JAMES, RICHARD AND THOMAS. BILL WORKED MANY ODD JOBS GROWING UP TO HELP SUPPORT HIS FAMILY. IN 1947, 7 DAYS AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, BILL ENLISTED IN THE US ARMY AND WORKED AS A MESSAGE CENTER CLERK UNTIL HIS HONORABLE DISCHARGE IN DECEMBER 1948. AFTER HIS MILITARY SERVICE, WITH THE AID OF HIS GI BILL, BILL ATTENDED BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY WHERE HE MET THE LOVELY BARBARA COOKE. BILL AND BARB FELL IN LOVE AND MARRIED IN 1956. BILL IS SURVIVED BY HIS 4 CHILDREN WITH BARB, CATHERINE ( LESLIE BICE) SLAUGHTER, KAREN (GREG) KOPAR, ROBERT H, AND WILLIAM ( LISA); GRANDCHILDREN MAUREEN, ARIELLE, RICHIE, SAVANNAH, AND TIM; GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN ARYA AND LIAM; SISTER-IN-LAWS KATHIE RICE, BARBARA RICE, AND SONDRA RICE. BILL WORKED IN THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AS AN INSPECTOR IN SPRINGFIELD, OH AND RETIRED AFTER 30 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE. BILL AND BARB LOVED TO TRAVEL AND WERE AVID SQUARE DANCERS. H E IS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY BARBARA AFTER 40 YEARS OF MARRIAGE. BILL MOVED TO FLORIDA IN 1998 AND MET THE LOVELY EILEEN WELLS AND THEY WERE MARRIED IN 2002. BILL AND EILEEN BOTH LOVED TO TRAVEL AND TRAVELED THE WORLD TOGETHER TO MANY WONDERFUL PLACES. HE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY EILEEN. A PRIVATE SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT THE CONVENIENCE OF THE FAMILY. PLEASE MAKE ANY MEMORIAL DONATIONS TO YOUR FAVORITE CHURCH OR CHARITY. RICHARDS, RAFF & DUNBAR MEMORIAL HOME HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE FINAL ARRANGEMENTS.