Winston Churchill Rice

1916 - 2017

Winston Churchill Rice

Winston Churchill Rice, age 100, of Shreveport, Louisiana entered the nearer presence of his Creator and Savior on Saturday morning, May 6, 2017.

Winston was born to his pioneering parents Alexander (Alex) and Emma Pitts Rice on October 7, 1916, in Oil City, Louisiana, where they lived in The Texas Company camp while Alex was Drilling Superintendent.

Mr. Rice was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Charlotte and his brothers, Vincent Douglas Rice and Dr. Irwin Jefferson Rice. He is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Margaret and his sons, The Rev'd Winston Edward Rice (Barbara) of Covington, Louisiana and Dr. Charles Jefferson Rice of Shreveport. He is also survived by 4 grandchildren, Winston Hobson Rice of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Christian MacTaggart Rice of Evans, Colorado, Andrew Hynes Rice of Yucca Valley, California, and Grace Perkins Rice of Athens, Georgia, as well as great-grandson, Aidan Judah Rice of Covington, LA.

Winston began elementary school in Oil City and often regaled his children, grandchildren and great-grandchild with tales of adventures while walking to school down the KCS railroad tracks (uphill in both directions according to his version). One of his early heroines was "pistol packin" Mona Duvall, the post-mistress for those living around Caddo Lake to whom she delivered mail in an outboard motorboat.

After the family moved to Shreveport, Winston attended Queensborough and Creswell Elementary schools and graduated with honors from C.E. Byrd High School. He attended Louisiana State University during what became to be known as the Great Depression, where he "wore the same pair of corduroy pants until they were slick", was a member of Kappa Alpha Order and graduated with honors in Petroleum Engineering.

After graduating from LSU, Winston joined the family business, Rice Drilling Company. Later he enlisted in what was then the US Army Air Corps, and became an instructor pilot at the outbreak of World War II. Back at his initial completion of flight school and awarding of his wings, his flight instructor was horrified to discover that at the time of fingerprinting, Winston was missing a finger (lost in a lawnmower mishap while growing up in Oil City). That fact would have thus disqualified him from even entering flight school, but he had already been sworn in with the military oath. His superior officer told him to put on gloves and keep his mouth shut about the missing finger lest the flight instructor get in more trouble than he!

Winston went on to distinguished service as a flight instructor and test pilot at several bases in Texas, where he trained many pilots in both fighters and bombers. Toward the end of the War, he was cited for valor for saving his crew by safely landing a burning B-32 bomber, which was infamous for having "three engines turning and one burning".

While in Texas during the war, Winston made many lifelong friends in the Air Corps, and while stationed near San Antonio, met the love of his life, Margaret Coughlin, whom he married in 1944. After the war they returned to Shreveport, where they raised their 2 sons, the first of whom was born while he was racing back from South Louisiana after restoring a well to production.

Following WWII, Winston became General Manager of Rice Drilling Company, overseeing oil exploration and production projects, and operating producing oil and gas wells near Kilgore, Texas and at Anse La Butte in South Louisiana. He continued in this role until the company's dissolution in the 1970's and continued thereafter to develop and pursue exploration and production projects until finally retiring at the age of 92.

During his long career, Winston explored for oil, gas and other minerals in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, North Dakota, Mexico and Colombia, but he never lost his love for flying developed during WWII. Although re-entering the family business after the war, he also became personal pilot for his father's closest friend, Mr. W. Arch Haynes, until his untimely death in the early 1950's. He continued to fly the planes of others, being frequently called upon for his aviation expertise by his friends and professional colleagues. After the opening of the Shreveport Regional Airport, he succeeded his father as a member of the board overseeing its operations.

Mr. Rice was a member of First United Methodist Church, The Shreveport Club, The Shreveport Country Club, The Shreveport Geological Society and Caddo Stock Syndicate.

His family wishes to express special thanks to his faithful team of caregivers, Sandra Hughes, Diane Taylor, Gena Sanders, Doris Shine, Sandra Ealy, and Beverly Taylor. As he often said, "God must have sent them !...what would I do without them".

Graveside services will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at Forest Park Cemetery. The Rice's will receive friends at 331 Deborah Drive for lunch following services

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to First United Methodist Church, 500 Common Street, Head of Texas Street, Shreveport, LA 71101 or Maritime Pastoral Institute, 512 E Boston Street, Covington, LA 70433.