Gene Rice
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3C - February 28, 2021
Gene Rice
December 15, 1941 - February 11, 2021
Gene Rice was a loving
husband and grandpa. He was
born in Nucla in 1941, to Paul
and Edith Rice and raised in
Telluride, Colorado. He enlisted
in the Navy at the age of 17
and served as an Engineman
aboard the USS Hancock for
seven years. He was honorably
discharged in 1965 with a rank
of E-5.
Gene spent many years in Healy, Alaska, working as a lineman
for the railroad and a volunteer fireman before returning the
Western Colorado. He enjoyed being outdoors; hunting, fishing,
riding snowmobiles and spending time at the Glade Park cabin.
In 1988, he married Mary Rice, and they celebrated 33 years
together. Gene finished his working career at Western Slope Iron,
retiring in 2007.
He was a hardworking and humble man who was loved by his four
step-children; nine grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
He was known as the grandpa who could fix anything.
He loved telling stories about Alaska, his time in the service and
the “hell” he and his brother raised as kids. He took great care of
the people around him, loved animals, especially his dogs, and will
be missed dearly.
A funeral service for Gene will be held at the Veterans Memorial
Cemetery at a later date
