Stanley Edmund Rice, Jr.

Stanley Edmund Rice, Jr., 87, of Smithsburg, MD, died Tuesday, March 26 at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, following a long battle with bladder cancer. Born on April 21, 1936 in Pittsfield, MA, he was the eldest son of the late Stanley and Ann Rice.

He was preceded in death by three brothers: Robert T. Rice, Andrew F. Rice, and George E. Rice.     

Stan joined the Air Force soon after graduating high school. During his 24+ years in the USAF, he spent time in Texas, South Dakota, Okinawa, New York, Korea, Germany, Illinois and North Dakota. Retiring as a Master Sergeant in 1981, he and Lucy opted to remain in Minot, N.D., where he worked for Big A Auto Parts for 20 years prior to retiring again. Stan and Lucy moved to Smithsburg in 2020 to be with their daughter during Lucy’s ongoing battle with Alzheimer’s.

Stanley loved to fish, mow the yard, watch the Patriots and the Celtics, drink coffee, visit with family and friends, and bird watch – especially hummingbirds.   

Stanley is survived by his wife of 66 years, Lucille B. (Frieze), of Hagerstown, whom he met while stationed at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota; a son, David R. Rice and wife Cindy, of Plymouth, MA; a daughter, Paula A. Rice of Smithsburg; two grandsons, William and Stanley; a sister, Patricia A. Rice of Morrow, OH; a brother, David J. Rice and wife Ann Finley of MA; sister-in-law Sue Rice of Florence, MA; and nieces Gail, Lisa, Suzanne, Jennifer, Alison and Leah.

A veteran’s service with Honor Guard will take place in the chapel at the Rocky Gap Veteran’s Cemetery in Flintstone, MD where Stanley will be laid to rest, at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, 5 April 2024. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to either Disabled American Veterans (www.dav.org) or Wounded Warriors Project (https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org).