IN LOVING MEMORY OF Samuel David Rice

Samuel David

Rice

January 3, 1947 – October 31, 2019

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Samuel David Rice's Obituary

Samuel David Rice, 72, a lifelong resident of the Florence area, well known for his integrity, fairness, and the love he shared with his family and friends, died of complications from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and went to be with his Lord on October 31 ^st , 2019.

James, Lucille and brother, Jim, welcomed Sam into the world on January 3, 1947 in Oakland. Sam's parents were loving and principled people who taught him to work hard, be honest, be helpful, and follow the golden rule. When not working, Sam and Jim explored creeks, hunted fields, fished ponds and the river, and learned to play games and developed into formidable athletes. Sam was good at every sport or game that he ever played. He was naturally competitive and coupled with physical gifts, Sam became an exceptional high school athlete. While attending Coffee High School, Sam and his teammates won the 4A State Championship by going 10-0 in football during the 1964 season. This was Coffee's only state title in football.

Sam attended and graduated from the University of Alabama where he forged friendships that enriched the next 50 years of his life. Like most other graduating men in that era, Sam was drafted and spent the next 2 years in the Army as an intelligence officer in the special operations division. After a tour of duty in Vietnam, Sam returned home to Florence. He found a loving and devoted partner in Johnnye, and they were married on 12/10/1977. He owned the Oakland Gin Company from 1971-1991, and was then a cattle farmer until 2017.

One of Sam's proudest achievements was helping build a family Christian ministry called JH Outback. Outback brings fathers, sons, mothers and daughters together to help them establish personal values, develop leadership skills, and explore the priorities that help give meaning to people's lives. Sam's work ethic, persistence, and his insistence on living life with the end in mind, all helped this incredible organization flourish and spread throughout many great cities.

Up until his diagnosis of ALS 2 years ago, Sam was as strong and fit as men half his age. He dug post holes, chopped wood, slalom skied, and could do 50 pushups in a minute.

He leaves his devoted wife Johnnye; daughters Mary Margaret (Hatfield), Julie, Sarah Catherine (Bolton), and Betsy; his brother Jim; grandchildren Mary Ella, Harrison, and Meg Hatfield, Jack, Nas, and Mary Bolton; family and friends.

Pride and fear are close partners, and as pride evaporated from his life, fear became courage. Humility and courage are noble, rare and superpowers that require unwavering faith and trust in something outside yourself. Sam had a mountain of both, and instead of meeting ALS heartbroken and sad he met it clear-eyed, hopeful, and with soaring Heavenly anticipation. Chapter 5 of 2 ^nd Corinthians describes our bodies as mere tents we live in here on earth. These tents are always destroyed but the new place that God will give us to live will be in Heaven and last forever. Sam never had a moment of doubt that his new body, that would never weaken, falter, break, or die was awaiting him.

I imagine Sam now… deep snow under your ski tips, the sky blacked with birds, mirrored water between your ski and the boat, and the salty ocean air at your back, watching your ball fly toward the hole – magnificent.

Visitation will begin at 11am, Monday, November 4 ^th , at the First United Methodist Church in Florence, and his funeral will follow at 1pm.