It is with heavy hearts we bring the news of the death of our very loved father, brother, uncle, Douglas Rice of Logan.
He was born February 28, 1950, to Wendell and Jeanne List Rice; was married to Barb Kepler Rice; and brother to Kent Rice, all who preceded him in death.
He leaves behind his daughter/sister-in-law (figure that one out), Jan (Casey) Randal of Minerva; his favorite only sister, Wendy Green of Canal Winchester; and loving companion and travel buddy, Barb Spackey of Logan.
He also leaves his nephew, Kent Rice and children, Fallon and Atticus, and their mother, Becky of Washington state; niece, Randi (Terry) Hudson of Logan and their sons, Ashton (Rileigh), Nathan and son, Coen, Rory, and Eli, all of whom he teased and loved; and the incorrigible employees and ne’er-do-wells of Ohio Pump and Supply, who were as close as any family, most likely because of the secrets they shared!
Douglas was a man of many hats – ornery, intelligent, funny, quick witted, kind, ornery, considerate, helpful, ornery, loyal, honest, and fair (did we mention ornery?) – but being just a good man was his real forte’.
His life was full. He started working young with a paper route along with his brother in Columbus, where they unwillingly shared hard-earned tips from their stingy customers and learned to smoke in the alley out of view of their parents. As a teen, he worked summers on staff at Greenhills Boy Scout Reservation teaching merit badge skills and chasing local girls (for which there was no merit badge). An LHS ’68 graduate. He honed his metal working skills at Jefferson Manufacturing, and then began his long-time career at Ohio Pump, eventually working his way to co-ownership and the making of many life-long, true friends and even a few enemies.
If a man is judged by the company he keeps, Doug should have probably been worried, but he wasn’t! You liked him or you didn’t…your choice. He had better things to worry about.
In retirement, he discovered a great interest in travel, and, taking after his gypsy mother, hit the road, expressively sharing his adventures with his friends on social media. Refusing to take photos, he relied on us to use our imaginations to picture what he described. Clever fellow! He also developed a love for honeybees, lavishing his hives with sweet nectar foods and expensive trinkets to keep them happy and producing – and like and “children,” left them wanting more. The family has decided to name his hives and honey “Needy Bees” in his honor.
He was a special man. Those who knew him as a friend consider themselves lucky and we, his family, are thankful and blessed. We are better people for the role he played in our lives. His love for us came without judgement and he gave it without reserve.
There will be no services at this time, but a Celebration of Life will be held in the spring. Please honor Doug by being helpful to someone when they least expect it. And in the words of our mother, “gotcha last!”
Arrangements are by the Heinlein-Brown Funeral Home, Logan, Ohio.