Jack Rice

A loving husband and father, doting grandfather, and true patriot, Jack Rice was an extraordinary gift in the lives of so many around him. He loving making us laugh and had a heart that seemed as endless as the sky is blue - his life an inspiration to many. Jack was a humble man of great character and sound principle who seized every opportunity to compliment anyone within his reach. He lived life to the fullest, taking not even one day for granted while creating precious memories with his friends and loved ones along the way. With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Jack touched the hearts and lives of others in his own special way.

The Roaring Twenties were a vibrant time in America filled with great promise. Nestled within this unprecedented time was the year 1924 when Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade took to the streets of New York City for the first time while we were poised for greatness with the formation of the IBM Corporation. This same year was filled with great joy for Dwight and Hilder Rice as they welcomed a healthy baby boy into their hearts and home on March 18th. Baby Jack E. was the middle of three children in his family, raised alongside his sisters, Betty and Dorothy. His father worked for Consumers Energy and was a dam builder while his mother stayed home. Jack’s father’s work left them moving to wherever the projects took them, which brought Jack to Oscoda, Michigan, during his high school years until he graduated. As the Great Depression covered our nation like a wet blanket throughout the thirties, Jack always felt fortunate that his father continued to have steady work. While growing up he enjoyed being outdoors, doing things like riding bikes and playing baseball and basketball.

As a young man Jack joined the United States Army Air Corps during the days of WWII. He served in Europe, flying missions out of Italy and England until his plane was shot down. As Jack was parachuting to the ground he was shot through the lung, and he became a prisoner of war. He spent the following year in enemy hands during which time he was interrogated and moved in a railway boxcar. Jack was set free when the camp was liberated as the end of the war drew near, and by that time he had lost a lot of weight.

After focusing on recovery for a time, Jack returned to Michigan and soon began taking classes at Michigan State University. With three years of school under his belt he left school to begin a career in insurance. Jack later added real estate to his portfolio. This was a great fit for him since he enjoyed meeting new people and made conversation effortless.

While he was busy establishing a career, Jack met a young girl named Margaret Burger, and it didn’t take more than a few dates before the couple found themselves in love. They were married and were also blessed with the birth of their daughter, Jill. Jack and Margaret raised their daughter in Belding where he had his own business. Together they enjoyed golfing and belonged to Silver Lake Country Club. Jack and Margaret also enjoyed bowling, were part of a bridge club, and had several friends with whom they frequently socialized. He kept busy with outdoor activities, too, like downhill skiing, snowmobiling, and hunting - although he didn’t always remember his gun! After 25 years, their marriage came to an end.

New and exiting changes were on the horizon for Jack when he met a woman named Jeanne while at a Christmas party. He introduced himself, got her number, and called her later in the week. After dating for several months the couple was united in marriage on July 12, 1975, and Jack relocated to her hometown of Grand Rapids. He also welcomed her five children with open arms.

Jack and Jeanne enjoyed so many things together. They loved spending time at their cottage on Intermediate Lake, and regularly went golfing and bowling together, too. It was not long after they married that Jack became a grandfather, and although the thought of being a “grandpa” seemed a bit strange, he settled on being called Grandpa Jack instead of “uncle” as he previously thought. He and Jeanne enjoyed spending time with all their grandchildren through the years. Jack loved having them at the cottage and frequently took them out on the pontoon where he let them drive and honk the horn while sitting on his lap. At times he and Jeanne did some traveling to visit family, and they also wintered in Florida.

Throughout his life Jack was one to keep busy and enjoyed being social. A talented bowler, he participated in some amateur tournaments throughout the Midwest. Even after he retired Jack continued dabbling in insurance and real estate for a few friends.

Jack was lifetime member of the Casino Club and a longtime member of both the VFW and American Legion. When at home Jack liked relaxing in front of the television, often watching the Detroit Tigers and Lions, and he also watched quite a bit of golf.

The list of things we will miss about Jack Rice is extensive since he was truly extraordinary. He loved sharing his great sense of humor with everyone and was a true jokester, too, with a heart that was as generous as they come. Jack was a loving family man who was genuinely concerned with what was going on in the lives of his children and grandchildren. He was a man of his word with outstanding character who also had a certain level of expectation for those around him. Jack will be deeply missed while his memory is forever cherished by those too numerous to count.

RICE - Mr. Jack E. Rice, age 88 of Grand Rapids, passed away November 1, 2012. Jack was a proud veteran and POW, serving in the Army Air Corps during WWII. He was a lifetime member of the Casino Club, and a longtime member of the VFW, American Legion and Masonic Lodge. He was preceded in death by his sisters Betty Klatt and Dorothy Trueman. Jack is survived by his wife of 37 years, Jeanne; his daughter, Jill Teisman; stepchildren Dale (Sue) DeKraker, Linda (Douglas) Poskey, Lauri (Tim) Stein, Diane (Vincent) Ungson, Denise Trammel; grandchildren Marc Teisman, Adam (Nicole) DeKraker, Angela DeKraker, Dan Poskey, Laura (Jamie) Paul, Meredith and Melissa Poskey, Gene, Drew and Melinda Stein, Hillary and Natalie Ungson, Cassie, Suzanne and Diana Trammel; as well as several nieces and nephews. A service to celebrate his life will be held on Friday, November 9 at 3 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Drive NW where friends may visit with his family from 1 PM until the time of the service. For those who wish, memorial contributions to either Porter Hills Benevolent Fund or a Charity of One's Choice are appreciated. To read more about his life, to share a memory or to sign the guestbook , please visit www.lifestorynet.com