Earl Jay Rice, 78, of Gothenburg, Nebraska, died on Sunday, June 5, 2005, after suffering with cancer.

He was born on February 9, 1927, on the family farm south of Farnam, Nebraska, in Frontier County, Nebraska, to Jay L. and Virginia (Williams) Rice.

He attended Lone Star Frontier County for his elementary schooling and high school at Curtis Agricultural College. He joined the Navy on March 27, 1945. After VJ Day he was honorably discharged on August 23, 1946. He attended Pasadena Nazarene College in California and Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, Idaho. He married Lois Oberg August 29, 1951, at Farnam.

On June 3, 1954, he was ordained as a minister in the Church of the Nazarene. He pastored at Oakdale and Litchfield, Nebraska, before moving to Texas, where he pastored on the Central Latin American and San Antonio Districts of the Church of the Nazarene. To supplement his income he became a teacher in Del Rio, Texas, and taught many years. He also was very active as a volunteer fireman, volunteer policeman and in civil defense organizations, and was a chaplain for the Val Verde County Jail.

After retiring, he moved back to Gothenburg in 2000. He attended the Church of the Nazarene in Cozad, Nebraska.

We will all miss his gentle quiet Christ-like spirit and problem solving abilities.

Survivors include his wife, Lois Rice of Gothenburg; two daughters, Janet Rice of Phoenix, Arizona, and Kathy Rice of Del Rio, Texas; one son, Dr. Jerald (Brenda) Rice of Costa Rica, Central America; three grandchildren, Joanna Rice of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Julie Rice and Timothy Rice of Costa Rica; one sister, Pauline (Paul) Sukraw of Gothenburg; two nephews, Duane (Sharon) Sukraw of Gothenburg and Kent (Inez) Sukraw of Newell, South Dakota; two uncles, Russell (Charlot) Williams of Eustis, Nebraska, and Don (Jean) Williams of St. Cloud, Minnesota; and various other cousins and family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 9, 2005, at 2 p.m. at the Church of the Nazarene, Farnam, Nebraska, with Pastor Irwin Edwards officiating. Burial is in the Farnam Cemetery.

A memorial has been established.

Blase Memorial Chapel of Gothenburg is in charge of arrangements.

Tri-City Tribune, 9 June 2005