David Albert Rice

David Albert Rice a resident of Huntingtown, MD for the last 44 years passed away on September 9, 2022. Dave was born in Washington, D.C. on August 8, 1938, to Gilbert and Margaret Swartz Rice. He graduated from Bladensburg High School in 1957, afterwards joining the Navy serving aboard the USS Purdy as one of four helmsmen on the ship. After his time in the Navy, Dave completed his electrical apprenticeship working as an electrician for 33 years for Howard P. Foley and then Fischbach & Moore and is a member of the IBEW Local 26. As an electrician he was awarded two Craftsmanship Awards in recognition for his excellence and dedication to his craft; in 1986 for the AT&T Regional Processing Center in Silver Spring, MD and in 1996 for the Ronald Reagan & International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.

Dave loved sports and the outdoors. He fought in the Golden Gloves, played high school football and baseball. He was selected to the All Bi-County (Prince George’s and Montgomery County) 1956 baseball team as the third basemen with a .474 batting average his senior year. He took up tennis when he was in his forty’s and enjoyed playing weekly at Dunkirk Park & Watkins Regional Park. He continued playing baseball and softball on various county and church leagues until in his early seventy’s when he pitched for the Family Guys softball team.

Dave was a wonderful storyteller. He loved to tell stories from his life and make his family laugh. It didn’t matter how many times he told the same story or joke, he delighted in telling it again, still laughing and having everyone around him laughing as well. His stories and jokes will truly be missed. He enjoyed watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in all their sports and extracurricular activities.  He also enjoyed visiting his beloved Blackwater Falls area of West Virginia where he had spent many summers as a kid visiting his grandparents in Thomas, WV.

He was a devoted and active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a member of the Calvert Ward of 44 years. Serving as the Calvert Branch President in 1984, he helped find the property on which the Calvert Ward building is located on Rt 2 and Clyde Jones Road in Sunderland, MD. Above all he was a friend to all, “Granddad” to many and a loving father. He adored his family, and they adore him and take comfort in knowing that they will see him again in heaven.

Dave is survived by his beloved wife of 45 years, Jean Ison Rice and his five children, David A. Rice II (Sarah), Shelby Rice, Diane Rowe-Spalding (Gorden), Jennifer Law (Dan) and Sharon Hart (Calvin); 24 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and two sisters Margaret Ann Rice and Beverly Switalski (Leonard).  He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Janet Rice and his grandson Joey Rice.

Visitation will occur from 2-4pm and 6-8pm on Thursday, September 15 at Lee Funeral Home, 8200 Jennifer Lane, Owings, MD 20736. The funeral service will be held at 11am on Friday, September 16 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 Clyde Jones Road, Sunderland, MD 20689. Interment will follow at Southern Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dementia Society of America https://www.dementiasociety.org/donate