Donald Lee Rice

Donald Lee Rice was born on December 8, 1946 in Oakland, California. He was the son of a pioneer church planter and pastor, Rev Lewis and Margie Rice. He went to heaven to be with Jesus on August 3, 2025. His parents raised their four children in a devout Christian home in Oklahoma, Colorado, and California. At the age of 4, while “preaching” to his siblings from a tree limb, he realized his own need for the Savior. His mother led him in his prayer to accept Jesus. This began a lifelong journey of service to our Lord Jesus.

Don felt the call of duty early and served his country in the U.S. Army with honor from 1966 to 1969. Yet a higher calling beckoned. While attending California Baptist College in Riverside, California he met and married the love of his life, Julia Carroll. Together they built a family rooted in God’s love. Committed to preparing himself for serving the Lord he went on to get his Master’s of Religious Education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and later earned his Doctorate of Min. He faithfully served the Lord in churches and associations in CA, NC, LA, TX, OK, and GA.

The Spirit led him to serve as an international missionary with the IMB in the green rolling hills of Bukoba, Tanzania and Kenya. After studying in Costa Rica, he served the Lord in Chile by building churches and teaching theological education by extension classes. He loved his church First Baptist Church Douglasville and he faithfully witnessed for the Lord. A Spanish speaking church began in his home in the early 2000s. The Lord blessed his bold witness with a Hispanic ministry in First Baptist Church Douglasville.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Julia Carroll Rice; his daughter and son in law, Carrie and Wendell Hand; his son and daughter in law, David and Jolene Rice; 6 grandkids: Hugh Redding, Abigail (and Elizabeth) Hurland, Joel Hand, Stephen Hand, Arwen Rice, and Landon Rice; and a great granddaughter, Jenna Redding.

The family will receive friends Friday, August 8 at Whitley Garner Funeral Home from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Funeral services will be held at First Baptist Church of Douglasville Saturday August 9 at 2:00 pm. Interment will follow at Rosehaven Cemetery in Douglasville.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Don’s honor to the International Mission Board: 3806 Monument Ave., Richmond, VA 23230

Whitley Garner at Rosehaven is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements of Donald Lee Rice.