Chester T. Rice

Chester Thomson Rice Age 91, of Kentfield passed away peacefully at his home in Kent Woodlands on April 26, 2013. Chester, known as Chet to his friends and "Buddy" to his family, was born in Schenectady, NY on March 3, 1922 to Chester Williams Rice and Helen Currier Rice. Chet graduated from Albany Academy in 1940 and Princeton University in 1944, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering. After serving as a lieutenant in the US Navy in World War II, Chet followed in his father and grandfather's footsteps to General Electric, where he began his career as an engineer. On June 18, 1955 Chet married Martha "Marty" Conney in Amsterdam, NY. They settled in Kentfield in 1963 after purchasing The Smilie Company, an independent camping and sporting goods store in San Francisco. A lifelong outdoor enthusiast, Chet enjoyed camping, backpacking, fishing, skiing, and cruising in his 1978 VW camper. He was a passionate ham radio operator, and spent several decades as a proud member of The Marin Amateur Radio Club. Chet is survived by his four children: Peggy (Peter) Hoyt of Winnetka, IL, Ted (Julie) Rice of Eugene OR, Chester "Willy" Rice (Paola Lancellotti) of Burlingame, CA, Jenny (the late Joel) Lubin of Davis, CA, his sister Holly (David) Richards of Coral Gables, FL, 12 grandchildren: Abby, Olivia and Tommy Hoyt, Spencer, Audrey, Kyra, Madi, Gemma and Marco Rice, Joshua, Taylor and Parker Lubin, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by Marty, his wife of 54 years, his sisters Barbara Allen and Priscilla Lovejoy, his brother Wilbur Rice, and four fine English setters: Cookie, Pemmy, Terry, and Molly. A celebration of Chet's life will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, May 4th at The Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 St. Francis Drake Blvd, Ross. Memorial gifts may be made to: The Marin Amateur Radio Society at http://w6sg/.