Virgil A. Rice

Funeral services for Virgil A. “Bear” Rice, 64, Lawrence, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Private burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.Mr. Rice died Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009, at Ransom Memorial Hospital in Ottawa.He was born June 21, 1944, in Wellsville, the son of William A. and Helen F. Randel Rice. He graduated from Baldwin High School, and later served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.Mr. Rice was a truck driver for Lawrence Paper Company for 35 years.He married Brenda Sue Hale on Sept. 11, 1987, in Lawrence. She survives, of the home.Other survivors include two sons, Jim Phares and wife Beth, Wellsville, and David Rice, Lenexa; two daughters, Anita Crist and husband Denny, Wellsville, and Erika Rice, Shawnee; two stepsons, Sean Molby and wife Christy, Lawrence, and Daniel Morrow, Topeka; a stepdaughter, Shawna Vandebuerie and husband Luc, Fayetteville, Ga.; two brothers, Clarence Rice, Baldwin City, and Bob Randel, California; 11 grandchildren, Nicholas and D.J. Rice, Michael Vandebuerie, Caleb, Briahnna and Ambriel Molby, Kelly, Michael and Jeff Crist, and Jake and Jessica Phares; and two great-granddaughters, Rileigh Crist and Hailee Vandebuerie.Friends may call from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and from 9 a.m. until service time Wednesday at the funeral home, where the family will receive them from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday.The family suggests memorials to the Virgil Rice Memorial Fund, sent in care of the funeral home.Online condolences may be sent at rumsey-yost.com.