Richard Dale Rice

Richard Dale Rice, 91, Deming resident passed away Friday, July 26, 2024 at Willow Manor in Deming.

Visitation will take place Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at Baca’s Funeral Chapels at 9 o’clock in the morning. Funeral Service will follow at 11 o’clock in the morning led by Deacon Glenn Newswanger. Interment will be Thursday August 8, 2024 at 11 o’clock in the morning at Ft. Bayard National Cemetery in Santa Clara, NM.

Richard was born on July 10, 1933 to Gladys Easton and Omar Rice at Nampa, Idaho. Richard (Dick)was mechanical engineer.  He graduated from the University of Idaho.  Dick was a professional engineer in several western states.  He was employed by the Veterans Administration in Spokane, WA where he met his wife, Mary.  Both transferred to the Veterans Hospital in Augusta, Michigan.  This led to a move from Spokane, Washington to Galesburg, Michigan.   Dick and Mary became involved with antique tractors while living in Galesburg.  Dick also designed a fertilizer plant that was built in Central Ferry, Washington.

Dick was a lifelong fan of NASCAR.   When Dick was a young man, he was involved in the local racing scene in the Nampa/ Caldwell area near Boise, Idaho.  A local racing historian had a picture of Dick and his race car.  Dick was a fan of the outdoors.  Dick and Mary enjoyed rafting the Salmon (The River of No Return), and the Snake Rivers.

After Dick retired, he and Mary found Deming through Mary’s sister who had been a longtime resident.   After a few winters in Michigan, Dick and Mary were done with winter weather.  They came to Deming first as snowbirds and later became full-time residents. 

Richard is survived by his wife Mary Rice, sons; Robert (Kay) Glaser, Anthony Rice and Rick (Lori) Bryant, daughters; Penny Rice, Marilyn (Larry) Simon and Sharon Bowers (Scott Smith), 8 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.

He is preceded in death by his parents, siblings Claude Rice, Barbara Paulson and Jean Suchocki.

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