Long Time Lake Supporter Will Be Missed
Thomas A. “Al” Rice of Lincoln City died of complications from liver disease in Portland on Oct. 8, 2011. He was 87.
Al was born on Feb. 7, 1924, in Toledo, Ore., to Thomas Alfred Rice and Ruth Larson Rice. When he was 8, the family moved to Redmond, then to Baker, and finally to Portland, where he graduated from U.S. Grant High School in 1942.
Alan attended Oregon State College briefly, but left to serve for three years with the Army Air Corps during World War II. He then returned to OSC, graduating with a degree in Industrial Engineering. At Oregon State, he lived at the Kappa Sigma fraternity where he forged lifelong friendships with numerous fraternity brothers. It was at OSC that he met his future bride, Frances Marie Elliott, and they married in 1948.
Al spent his working years in the trucking business, including truck sales for International Harvester and 20 years in management for Rollins Leasing Corp., headquartering in Portland and briefly in Wilmington, Del., prior to his retirement in 1979. Upon retirement, he and Frannie moved back to the Portland area.
In 1983, they moved to their newly-constructed home on Devil’s Lake in Lincoln City, where they spent their remaining years together. Al particularly enjoyed observing and photographing the many species of waterfowl on the lake, including his favorites, the Wood Ducks. He was instrumental in a restoration program for these birds and was an active member of the Audubon Society, the Wood Duck Society, and the Coastal Carvers organization.
He is survived by his sister, Carolyn Carlson, of Portland; two children Thomas Rice, Jr. (Cheri) of Troutdale and Kathie Arnold of Port Townsend, Wash.; four grandchildren Amanda Bayha (Matt) and Kristina Rice of Portland and Jeff (Amber) and David Arnold of Port Townsend; two great-grandchildren Amelia and Bennett Bayha; and numerous nieces and nephews.
His wife of 61 years, Frannie, died earlier in October of 2009.
Family and friends are invited to a celebration of Al’s life at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 13 at McMenemins Kennedy School, 5736 N.E. 33rd Ave., Portland.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Audubon Society of Lincoln City, P.O. Box 38, Lincoln City, OR 97367.
