Lavern Francis Rice

Lavern Francis Rice, 93, of Lake Jackson, Texas went to be with the Lord on November 19, 2018 in Houston, Texas. He was born on August 26, 1925 in Plattsmouth, Nebraska to Frank and Jessie Rice. He fell in love, and married Lucy Elizabeth Newton in Monticello, Mississippi on June 27, 1947.

In Lavern's youth, he enjoyed playing football, baseball, basketball, and golf sharing his love for sports with his son Mark, who raced motorcycles in high school, and grandson Christopher. Lavern loved playing the snare drums and singing in the Chorale Choir where he met his soon to be wife, Lucy Newton.

Lavern was working on his graduate degree in Chemistry at The University of Texas at Austin when he was called to serve his country during the Korean War for the Marine Corps. He had a long and distinguished career in the military achieving the rank of Colonel. The latter part of his military career, he was a Commanding Officer for the Marine Reserve units in Austin, Houston, and Beaumont. While working at Dow Chemical Company as a corrosion engineer, and later became a superintendent of the MAG cells Department, where his department obtained the record of 2 million Safe Man Hours without a disabling injury in under a year’s time. Lavern retired from Dow Chemical Company with well over 20 years of employment.

Lavern is preceded in death by his parents, Jessie and Frank Rice.

He is survived by his wife, of 71 years, Lucy Rice; son Mark Rice; and grandson, Christopher Rice.

A Gathering to Share Memories of Lavern will be held at Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Lake Jackson TX, on Saturday, December 1, 2018. Visitation will start at 10 a.m.; Service at 11:00 a.m.; and Lunch to be served at noon.