Herbert Rice

Herbert Rice Sr. departed this life on May 1, 2024 at his home in Fort Washington, Maryland, surrounded by his family. Herbert was born on January 10, 1943 to the late Albert and Cynthia Burton Rice in Washington, DC. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister Laura Christian Sullivan, and his son Herbert Rice Jr. Herbert attended Washington, DC public schools. After high school, he joined the Air Force at the age of 17, with his mother’s blessing/permission. He served 20 years in the Air Force and retired in 1980 as a Technical Sergeant. Assigned locations during his Air Force career were Presque Isle Air Force Base (AFB), ME; Walker AFB, NM; Thailand; Bolling AFB, Washington, DC; Johnson Atoll/Island; Okinawa, Japan; and Griffiss AFB, Rome, NY, which was his last assignment before retiring. After retiring from the military, he worked as an air conditioning mechanic at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the Defense Intelligence Agency, for another 20-year career in the federal government. He worked an additional three years as an air conditioning mechanic for the Wackenhut Corporation. In the 1980s, he joined the New Redeemer Baptist Church in NW Washington, DC where he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. When Pastor John Rhodes assumed the helm of Trinidad Baptist Church in NE Washington, DC, Herbert joined Trinidad Baptist Church as a member. He enjoyed playing cards on weekends with some of his old military buddies. He also enjoyed watching football and golf on the weekends. He was known to his family as the crab man, as he would buy and cook his own crabs Herbert Sr. leaves to cherish his memories: his wife of 63 years, Joan/Cookie; daughters, Cynthia/Dee Dee (Hank), Veronica/Ronnie, and Monica (Michael); sister Hazel, brother Larry; goddaughter Donna, grandsons, Marcus, Anthony and Reggie; god-granddaughters Kaira and Kia, cousins/sisters Almeta/Tootsie and Patricia/Pat; sisters in law, Aretha, Josie, Betty (Harold), and Barbara; brother-in-law, Joe/Tick (Deborah); six great-granddaughters; one great-grandson; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Tributes

Herbert Rice

January 10, 1943 - May 1, 2024