Robert Rice

COLUMBIA—Funeral service for Robert “Bob” Rice, 88, of Columbia,will be held at 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at Virginia Wingard Memorial United Methodist Church, 1500 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29210 with internment to follow in Bush River Memorial Gardens withReverend Scott W. Smoak and Reverend John E. Culp officiating. Temples Halloran Funeral Home is assisting the family. Visitation will be from 2:00-3:00 p.m. prior to the service in the Welcome Center at the church. Mr. Rice passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, August 16, 2014 surrounded by his loving family.Bob was born on October 30, 1925 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to the late Millard W. Rice and Elvera J. Rice. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Nora M. Rice; daughter, Sandra R. Helms (Dr. Lee) of Virginia Beach, Virginia; son, Robert Marvin Rice, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; beloved step-children, daughter, Sandra S. Jordan (Buck) of Atlanta, Georgia; son, Charles Gordon Shaw of Columbia, SC; brother, Loren Rice (Beverly) of Falls Church, Virginia; and grandchildren, Eric and Brian Jordan, Christopher, Katey and Betsy Helms. He was preceded in death by a brother, Paul Byron Rice. Bob graduated from Western High School in the Washington, DC area after which he immediately entered the Army and served from 1943-1946.After returning to the states, he attended Montgomery College in Bethesda, MD where he received an Associate Degree in Business. He later attended Ohio Western College in Columbia, Ohio. His work history started with a large financial company in Washington, DC where he eventually became a supervisor and worked in their offices in Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and South Carolina.He entered the real estate business in 1969 and became a real estate broker in 1971.He owned and managed Bob Rice Realty, Inc. for more than 40 years.He was a longtime member of Virginia Wingard Memorial United Methodist Church and the Christian Love Sunday School Class.In addition, he was a member of the Executive Club of the Midlands. He loved music, traveling, bridge, gardening and especially his family. The family expresses gratitude to the Lutheran Hospice Staff as well as to their church family and many friends.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Member Care Fund or BRAC at Virginia Wingard Memorial United Methodist Church, 1500 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29210. All who knew Bob will remember his kind, gentle and loving nature, his sense of humor, his respect for all with whom he came in contact and his exemplary character.