JERRY J. RICE

1943 - 2025

Jerry J. Rice, 81, of Mansfield, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at UPMC Soldiers & Sailors in Wellsboro. He shared 38 years of marriage with his wife, Sharon Rice. Born October 20, 1943, in Corning, N.Y., he was the son of the late Wilson A. & Vessie (Locey) Rice.
Jerry was a stand-out basketball player for the Mansfield High School Class of 1961.
He was United States veteran, having served in the Pennsylvania National Guard, Mansfield. He also loved to bowl and was a member of several local leagues over the years. He was self-employed as a propane delivery driver for over 40 years and worked at Cross Excavating and Northern Tier Beverage. As an avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing, becoming a life member of the Black Wolf Rod & Gun Club in Liberty. Jerry and his wife, Sharon, enjoyed camping and traveling together, often visiting Myrtle Beach, dining out with friends and was a devoted Buffalo Bills fan.
He had great interpersonal skills and a knack for making friends everywhere he went. Jerry's warm wonderful smile and quick sense of humor will be dearly missed by family and friends.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Sharon Rice; sons, James D. (Barb) Gates and William D. (Patty) Gates; granddaughters, Kaitlyn, and husband, Jacoby, and Mackenzie Gates; one great-grandchild, Palmer; sister, Sonja (Wade) Cothran; nephew, Wilson Cothran; great-nieces, Anne Marie and Elizabeth Cothran; and many dear friends.
In addition to his parents, Jerry was preceded in death by a nephew, Wade Cotheran V.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Jerry's name to the Mansfield Ambulance Association, 381 S Main St, Mansfield, PA 16933.
In keeping with Jerry's wishes, funeral services will be private and held at the convenience of his family. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Wilston-Currie Funeral Home, Mansfield, www.wilstoncurriefh.com.