Mansel "Banjo" Rice

Mansel "Banjo" Rice, 61, of Oshkosh passed away unexpectedly Friday, January 9, 2026 near Oshkosh.

A Memorial Service with military honors will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 31, 2026 at the Lewellen Tiger Den with a meal to follow.

Memorials in Banjo's name can be made to the Oshkosh Senior Center.

Holechek-Bondegard Funeral Home and Cremations in Oshkosh is serving the Rice family.

Mansel “Banjo” Lee Rice was born on January 28, 1964 in Prescott, Arizona to Dottie and Floyd Rice. He joined older brother Dallas. Dottie worked all over doing different jobs in different states. Along the way she met Bob Wheelock and got married. Eventually, they settled down in about 1971 and a few years later Banjo’s youngest brother was born Shaun.

Banjo growing up, he helped out with delivering newspapers, helping out his mom in the café and nursing home, helping farmers harvest crops, yardwork, snow removal and any odd job sent his way. Later on, Banjo helped out with Cub Scouts, Girl Scout camp and Federation wrestling. If anyone needed help, he was the one to call.

In 1981, Banjo joined the army, National Guard- Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, and eventually Minnesota.

Banjo was a free spirit. He moved around in Wyoming and in Daniel, Wyoming he passed as an EMT and he volunteered on the fire department. Banjo decided to try out college. He got a degree in Forrest Technology after he had worked for a logging company. He worked for many ranches and even helped out at the Cheyenne Frontier Days. Eventually, it was hard to find work and he got hooked back up with Dallas and started driving trucks meeting his wife, Colleen, and moving to Minnesota.

Banjo wasn’t afraid of work he worked for a moving company - moving and setting up trailer houses he worked at Bob’s Econo pumps, cleaning out sewers and with his wife started up a horse ranch. He became a member of Horse Fever for many years, organizing and running horse shows and writing events. He also organized haunted hayride at his property for many years getting family and friends involved.

After Colleen’s illness and passing, he was at a loss. He had kept in touch with Dallas, Chantel and Nicky and in 2019 he moved back to Nebraska. He loved Minnesota, but wanted to work on his relationship with his daughter and spend more time with Dallas and family.

After returning to Garden County, Banjo didn’t sit around. He worked for the county road department; 3 Schoe’s, Loomis Trucking; he helped out with fencing; Jordans; helping some with cattle; and harvest. He loved working with horses, cattle and at brandings. He enjoyed helping Nikki at the senior center with snow removal, yardwork, as he was raised to help the elderly. Lately he had been happy to help get things going at the new Depot.

Banjo is survived by his brothers, Dallas (Lucinda) Wheelock and Shaun (Missy) Wheelock; Nicky Bruesch, fiancée; daughter, Chantel Scripter and granddaughter, Nayma Ratcliff; stepdaughters, Dawn (Shaun), Billie (Chris), Amie (Cory); 11 step-grandchildren; 4 step-great-grandchildren; and other extended family members and many many friends.

Banjo had a heart of gold, always had a handshake and a hug for all. He was the first to volunteer and encouraged others to follow

Fly high, Banjo. You touched so many!