Tim Rice

“Endurance produces character and character produces hope.” – Romans 5:4

Tim Rice of Kingfisher was called home to the Lord on May 15, 2019.

A true believer in the value of family, close friends and a tall glass of Captain Morgan, Tim had a passion for life that was visible in everything he did. Never afraid to speak his mind or do what he felt best, Tim lived life on his own terms.

As a kid, Tim developed a strong fondness for open spaces and life on his grandfather’s farm, which would in time become his own. The sense of pride and accomplishment he felt while farming bonded him to the land and would serve as the foundation of his character for many years to come.

The son of a Navy pilot (Terrance Rice), Tim along with his mother (Gladys) and older brother (Terry) and younger sister (Patricia) lived on a variety of military bases before arriving in Mineral Wells, Texas. It was here that Tim would gain a younger brother (Tom Rice) and begin to forge many of his lifelong friendships.

Tim graduated high school as part of the Rams Class of 1967 and took great satisfaction when his football team would later be inducted into the Hall of Fame and “829 Quick Pitch” was cemented into history.

It was also in Mineral Wells that Tim would meet the one person that would change his life forever, Susan “Susie” Katherine O’Quin. Despite their on-again, off-again beginning, Tim’s persistent nature and self-confidence in knowing that he had found the “one” would metamorphosis into a love story that would make Romeo and Juliet jealous.

However this boastful, loud-mouthed Catholic boy could win the heart of a quiet, Baptist southern belle will be left to the debate of family and friends for years to come.

In 1971, Tim was drafted into the U.S. Army where he achieved the rank of SP4 before being honorably discharged after two years of service. Following his time in the military, Tim returned back to Texas where he and Susie were once again reunited and would forever remain at each other’s side.

Tim and Susie would go on to spend 45 years together and enjoy a friendship and romance that would tie them together for eternity. Their steadfast commitment to one another would produce two children (Jessica Rice Jones) and (Matthew Rice) and serve as the foundation for a lifetime of memories, family trips and new adventures.

Once back in Kingfisher, it was only a matter of time before Tim reconnected with life in the country and the intrigue of being his own boss. Tim and his family would eventually come to live on his grandparents’ original homestead, a fact that would fill him with a great sense of pride as he continued the family tradition.

Throughout his life, Tim was known for his booming voice that would make him instantly known in any place he ventured. It was also this same voice coupled with his tenacity to say whatever he was feeling, that put great fear in basketball and football referees across the state.

While his ornery nature and larger than life attitude easily made him visible to the outside world, it was these same characteristics that would make him a favorite among old and new friends alike.

Seldom if ever quiet, Tim enjoyed making others laugh and his innate ability to turn strangers into best friends were testimonials to his infectious charisma.

Underneath Tim’s rough exterior and rambunctious attitude lay a huge heart that flowed over capacity. Honest, straightforward, and loyal to a fault, Tim will be sorely missed by his family and countless friends made over his 70 years on this earth.

While we selfishly wish he was still among us, his lasting memory and impact on all of our lives will never come to an end. For it was in Tim that we truly learned how to live, enjoy life to its fullest and to forever hold on to the importance of family and friendship.

Tim was preceded in death by his father, mother and younger brother.

He is survived by his wife Susie; daughter Jessica Jones and her husband Stephen of Houston, Texas; his son Matt Rice and his wife Jessica of Belton, Mo.; his brother Terry Rice and his wife Barbara of Kingfisher; his sister Patricia Gurski and her husband Mike of Houston, along with a host of beloved in-laws, nieces, nephews and countless friends.

His family greatly appreciates your outreach and support during this difficult time. A celebration of Tim’s life was held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 22, at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Kingfisher.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Tim’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, 38105, or Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 309 S. Main St., Kingfisher, OK 73750.