Earl C. Rice

Dr. Earl Clifton Rice passed away on August 15, 2015. He was born in the Edmond, Oklahoma, area on August 28, 1915, to Bertha T. and Ernest C. Rice, both of whom preceded him in death, as did his brother, Elroy, and his sister, Opal Fern Bateman. He graduated from Edmond High School and he received the B. A. in Mathematics degree from Central State Teachers College (now the University of Central Oklahoma) and the M. A. and Ph. D. in Mathematics degrees from George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tennessee.

He was a high-school teacher of mathematics and Spanish in Dustin and Marlow, Oklahoma, before serving 39 months in the Signal Intelligence Service, United States Army, during World War II. He was stationed in England, North Africa, and Italy. He was married to Dr. Loree McConnell Rice for 68 years.

Earl was a college professor of mathematics for 30 years, 28 of which were at the now UCO, where he served one year and several summers as chairman of the Department of Mathematics, Computing, and Statistics. He also taught there 13 additional years as an adjunct professor. Earl directed four National Science Foundation Institutes in Mathematics and served on numerous committees at the university. He was a member of the Oklahoma and National Education Associations, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the Mathematical Association of America, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

He was a long-time member of the Edmond Rotary Club, with 51 years of perfect attendance. He served as president of the club and was a member of the board of directors. He also was a Paul Harris Fellow. In 2007, he was made an Honorary Member of the Edmond club. He also belonged to American Legion Post 111 and was honored as a 60-year member in 2010.

Earl was an active member of the First Christian Church of Edmond, being a long-time elder and serving on numerous committees, especially the Education Building Committee, the Parsonage Committee, and the Outreach Committee. He also served as moderator of the Church Board and as chair of the board of the Oklahoma Christian Apartments.

He was selected for inclusion in Who's Who in America, Dictionary of International Biography, Community Leaders and Noteworthy Americans, Who's Who in Technology Today, and American Men of Science. Earl enjoyed reading, playing bridge, and traveling. The Rices traveled widely in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. They visited Europe several times and toured several South American countries. They also traveled to Israel, Greece, China, Thailand, Nepal, and India.

Earl is survived by his wife, Loree; two children, Margaret Earlene Rice and Loren Lynwood Rice and his wife, Astrid Lipka, and one grandson, Emerson Lipka Rice, of New York City; two nieces, Linda Price of Norman and Verna Bateman of Ponca City; one nephew, Duane Bateman of Kittery, Maine, and several cousins.

Services will be at the First Christian Church of Edmond at 2:00 p.m. Friday, August 21. Memorial contributions can be made to the Earl C. Rice Scholarship Fund at the UCO Foundation, 100 North University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034, or to the Building Fund at the First Christian Church, 201 East Second Street, Edmond, OK 73034.