Funeral services for Richard Rice, age 98, of Selby will be at 10:30 AM Monday, Jan. 3. 2011 at Kesling Funeral Home in Mobridge. Burial will be at Timber Lake Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will be for one hour prior to services. Richard departed the Selby Good Samaritan Center at 10:40 on Christmas morning to meet his Lord.
He was born in his grandpa Frederick Henry Winterberg and grandma Ikea Winterberg's home to Hiram Elbridge and Gertrude Rice. This was a few miles north of Pollock, where he lived for several years. Then the family moved north of the McLaughlin, where his dad built a hip roofed barn and moved soon afterwards to Glencross, SD on July 3, 1923. The family worked for a time there then moved nine west of Timber Lake to the TA Marshall Place.
His dad Hiram did road work on highway 20 back when they used team and dump wagons. Hiram also helped build the Red Top School with a man by the name of Harvey Holly. In 1928 Richard went to a Christian College in Mitchell, SD.
When he finished his college term, he ran out of money, so had to pick up a lot of odd jobs to pay for his train fare to return home. He was only home for a short time when his father passed away in 1930, at a farm 2 or 3 miles west of Timber Lake. Then it was the dirty thirties and the brothers helped their mother Gertrude get through the hard and difficult times by working with the government, euthanizing and burying starving cattle.
Later he was having eye sight problems and couldn't join the US service during WWII in the 40's. So he landed a job for 10 years at the Fort Meade Hospital as a receptionist and accountant. While working there, he made a homemade incubator to save a premature and sickly baby, Ms. E, and she is still living today in Meade County near Sturgis, SD.
He taught school in the McLaughlin and Timber Lake area.
After he left Fort Meade, he moved to Seattle near Saint Ann's Hill, where he was employed in a bank for a few years. Next, he worked for the Roto-Rooter as a receptionist and accountant for many years there.
He worked for a few years for the Washington State Patrol, in their office as a dispatcher. There was a time that he had worked in the in the court room as a stenographer, as he was a very fast typist. It's not known where or how long the job was.
After retiring, he moved to Spokane where he made a home for his mother Gertrude. His property was near where the Interstate was to be built, without him knowing this, he eventually had to sell this property to the state. This is where he restored and overhauled Packards only. Also while he lived here, he was very involved in sewing and crocheting. His brother Josh wanted him to make a bedspread out of bull derum sacks, so many people saved up enough to make the spread. In the middle of the spread he sewed a large J X brand that Josh owned and used on his livestock. Also beautiful wedding dresses had been styled and sewn, by him and it was thought that he made one for a niece.
After he left this property by the freeway, he lived with a niece, NellieRasching, in Spokane and did a lot of traveling and visiting by motor home, with his mother. Many times she stayed with one of her sons where they went to visit.
Richard never married and had many accomplishments during his lifetime. He will be greatly missed, however we know you had a purpose Lord, in taking him away after 98 years from all of the families midst. Here we stand together, Lord, in remembrance of our last uncle, and brother, with the greatest of love!!
He is survived by one sister, Dorothy Spurlock of Spokane, WA. 11 nieces, 10 nephews and numerous great nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents and 6 brothers John, Fred, Vern, Josh, Dan and Alan.