Douglas (Doug) Martin Rice age 61, a resident of Longmont, CO, died suddenly Thursday March 13, 2014 in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
SERVICES: Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 6:00 on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 at Hass Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, March 20th 2014 at the Don R. Wood Auditorium, 620 Pine Street, Clayton, New Mexico. Burial will follow in the Clayton Memorial Cemetery by Hass Funeral Directors of Clayton. Please visit www.hassfuneralhome.com to view the online obituary and sign the guest book.
BACKGROUND: Doug was born in Clayton, NM, to Elmo and Winnie Rice. He grew up with his older sister Wynell and younger brother David in Clayton and Dumas and graduated from Dumas High School in 1970. He had great enthusiasm for the farming industry and was a member of FFA while in school. He attended Panhandle State University in Goodwell, OK for one year then moved to Sublette, KS to begin his farming career with Jim and Martha Bishop. He married Linda Cornelius of Plainview, TX in 1972. Rachelle and Tyler, their two children, were born while they lived in Sublette. They moved to Friona, TX in 1979 where he farmed for the next fifteen years. In the mid 1990’s he met his second wife Mari Rice and moved to the Dalhart/Texline, TX area, where he continued to work in the farming industry. In 1999 he and Mari were married and in 2004 they moved to the Dallas, TX area where he lived and worked in the swimming pool industry until 2013. In mid 2013 Doug and Mari moved to Longmont, CO, to be closer to Mari’s daughter Debbie Lowary and son-in-law, Tate Lowary and Mari’s two grand children, Hayden and Addison. Upon arriving in Longmont, CO, Doug pursued working in the transportation industry until his death. He had a love for the land, an incredible work ethic and could do just about anything with his hands. He was a hobby farmer, gardening enthusiast and definitely had a green thumb. He will be fondly remembered for his penchant for canning his abundant harvests and generously giving away his sauerkraut, salsa, and blackberry jam. He loved the outdoors, especially camping and fishing. Some of his happiest days were no doubt trout fishing at Monument Lake in Colorado with his family and sport fishing with Mari in Cabo St. Lucas, Mexico, where in 2008 he reeled in a 170LB Striped Marlin. He was preceded in death by his father Elmo Rice on March 17, 2002.
SURVIVORS:
He is survived, loved and remembered by his wife Mari Rice of Longmont, CO, a daughter, Rachelle Atkinson, of Lubbock, TX, son Tyler Rice and daughter-in-law Kristin Rice of Friona, TX and their two beautiful children Bronc and Tucker (grandchildren), a step daughter Debbie Lowary and husband Tate Lowary of Longmont, CO and their two beautiful children Hayden and Addison, his mother Winnie Rice of Dumas, TX, a sister, Wynell Quackenbush, also of Dumas, TX, a brother, David Rice, and his wife Juanita Rice of Arp, TX, several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews, many cousins and extended family and friends.
