Obituary of Douglas Wayne Rice

Douglas Wayne Rice was born on May 9, 1959 in Monroe, Michigan. He was one of three sons born from the union of the late Willard Rice and Helen (Moore) Rice. Douglas attended Monroe High School and later received his mechanical certificate through Airport’s vocational program. For more than twenty years, Douglas would work in manufacturing, being employed by several paper mills including: Consolidated Paper Mill, Union Camp and Jefferson Smurfit. He then worked at CA Thomas in Taylor as a forklift operator. Douglas worked hard and earned the respect of his fellow co-workers earning the position of warehouse supervisor which he held for over eight years. Douglas was very neat and organized. He was liked by everyone and would help anyone in need. At the age of eight, he showcased his mechanical ability by rebuilding a minibike motor. Over the years, he rebuilt many, easily with his own hands. He was well known for his expertise working on automobiles. He was also a talented gardener. Douglas was gifted with a green thumb and enjoyed keeping his tomato plants well maintained. Douglas Wayne Rice, age 57, of Monroe passed away on Thursday, February 1, 2017 at ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital. In addition to his father, his passing was preceded by his grandparents. To cherish his memory, Douglas leaves his companion of over twenty years: Bonnie Sammons of Monroe; his mother: Helen Rice of Monroe; his daughter: Jennifer (Brad) Montague of Farmington Hills; his son: Christopher Pribyl; his two brothers: Daniel Rice of Monroe and David (Navalla Johnson) Rice of Monroe; and many nieces and nephews. Friends may gather on Monday, February 6, 2017 from 11:00am until A Celebration of His Life at 1:00pm at Merkle Funeral Service; 2442 North Monroe Street (734) 384-5185 with Pastor BJ McDaniel of Frenchtown Missionary Baptist Church officiating. Procession will follow to Roselawn Memorial Park in LaSalle for burial. Online guests may leave words of comfort and inspiration or share a photo by visiting www.merklefs.com.