Richard Errol Rice

Richard (Rick) Errol Rice

Richard (Rick) Errol Rice passed away peacefully with his wife Christie by his side, January 17. He was born in Malden, Massachusetts January 23, 1950 to June Gunn Rice and Ted Sahl. Rick was predeceased by June and his step father Robert Rice, sister Lynne, and survived by his wife, Christie Koontz and her children Katelyn Lynch Amraen (Dan) and Thomas Lynch, and brother Marc Rice (wife Lorri and niece, Lorrilynne.)

Rick grew up in South Florida and battled arthritis from age two. He was in and out of hospitals his whole life. By age four he knew he was an artist and this was the gift he shared with the world. The gift became a skill when he began teaching graphic arts at Lively Tec and then built a similar program at TCC. He ended his teaching career (online) at FSU. Thousands of students' lives and work are shaped by Rick. He was proud of the many art-related awards he won over the decades (e.g., American Advertising Silver Medal from the Tallahassee chapter) —while participating in private and public agency work including the design of the old TMH logo.

Rick had a "coat of many colors" and loved music. He played the guitar till his arthritic fingers curled, and sang in a beautiful tenor. Amidst the chaos of health issues he would often be singing quietly along with James Taylor or the music of his dear friends Bob Hill or JP Walters. He loved his "Home that Hill Built" and had gardens and parties galore. He loved radio airplanes, politics, the news and great movies, and his close friends who surrounded him to the end. And FSU football and special hot dogs were Rick's joy in the fall.

He and his wife Christie travelled all over the world with her public library work at FSU, and he photographed many places, recently painting watercolors of some. He enjoyed the people at the Senior Center art classes, and recently joined a new gallery, Southern Exposure in Railroad Square, showing his work old and new for the first time this fall.

He proudly worked out at Gold's Gym three times a week for years and kept his strength up for the next health battle. Rick was a soldier in his own war. For the record, Rick had both hips replaced twice, his knees and shoulders and elbow once, and had a defibrillator!! He saluted his "dream team" doctors who kept him going. But his big heart finally gave out. The battle has ended for him—but the challenge remains for us to "Be Brave."

Donations may be made to the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation http://www.arthritis.org/donate.php, the FSU Foundation # F07558, where Rick and his wife Christie and a private donor created a scholarship fund or certainly any organization of your choice. Services will be at the Miccosukee Land Co-op Community Center, 9601 Miccosukee Rd, at 9 am (visiting and coffee) and service at 10, (850 597-1490) on January 23, Rick's birthday.