Clifton E Rice

Clifton Eugene Rice, 92, retired maintenance foreman at Union Carbide and resident of Lion Parkway, died Sunday, April 13, 2014 at Maury Regional Medical Center. A graveside service will be conducted Friday at 1:00 P.M. at Rose Hill Cemetery with Rev. Billy Kimbrough officiating. Military honors will be provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. Oakes & Nichols Funeral Directors are assisting the family with arrangements. The family suggests memorials to Maury County Public Library, 211 West Eighth Street, Columbia, TN 38401. Condolences may be offered online at www.oakesandnichols.com. A native of Niagara County, New York, he was the son of the late Jesse Rice and Mabel Wayner Rice. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U. S. Air Force and was a longtime employee of Union Carbide. Mr. Rice was the husband of Virginia Thurston Rice of Columbia; father of Janice Elaine Cook of Columbia and Neil Thurston Rice of Nashville; and close family friend Jason Blume. He is also survived by three grandsons, U. S. Marine Gy. Sgt. Nathaniel (Melissa) Cook, Elliott (Michele) Cook, and John Edward "Jack" Cook, Jr.; great grandchildren, Anthony Cook, Aiden Cook, Markus Cook, Camilla Cook, and Harper Cook; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by four brothers and two sisters.