Frank Stephen "Steve" Rice Obituary (1942

Frank Stephen (Steve) Rice, 79, passed away on Bainbridge Island July 6, 2021 following a courageous battle with Parkinson's Disease. Many thanks to the wonderful staff at the Island Health and Rehabilitation Center for taking such good care of our loved one for the past 18 months. Steve was born at the Port Gamble Hospital, June 28,1942 to Frank and Edith (Cotter) Rice. He was the great grandson of area pioneers who first arrived on the shores Hood Canal in 1859. He attended grade school at Port Gamble and David Wolfle, graduating from North Kitsap High School with the class of 1960. Following high school Steve moved to Seattle and started his career with the Bon Marche in downtown Seattle. He retired from that company after over 40 continuous years of dedicated employment. He also served in the National Guard in his early years after attending bootcamp at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri serving in the same unit with his uncle Jim Rice. In 1965 Steve married Judy (Leaf) Rice and shortly thereafter moved to Bainbridge Island where daughters Ann Marie and Joie Lynn were born and raised through their high school years. Many memories were made with family, friends, and co-workers at backyard pool parties hosted from their home on Chatham Hill. Here were honed the landscaping skills which lead to the perfection repeated in all yards to follow. Steve was a co-founder of the Glass Odyssey Car Club having owned several classic Corvettes. He was a classic car enthusiast for life and enjoyed showing his cars at local shows for many years. In 1990 Steve and wife Denise (step-daughter Erin) built a new home near Fletcher Bay on Bainbridge Island. Another home with a perfect yard to entertain family and friends where more memories were made. In 2003 Steve and wife Diane purchased the Rice family home on Hood Canal which his parents had built in the 1950's. It had been the hub for family gatherings with aunts, uncles and cousins for many years. These traditions carried on under Steve's stewardship where more memories were made in the perfect yard on the sandy shores of Hood Canal. Steve was the kindest of men who lived life with a disciplined work ethic, a love of family and friends and the outdoors, and a passion for fun which he shared with all he knew. He never met a stranger with whom he would not share a conversation or life story. He will surely be missed by all who knew and loved him. He was predeceased by his parents and daughter Ann Marie. He is survived by daughter Joie Olsen of Bainbridge Island (grandchildren Hailey and Max Otterby and Henry Olsen and their dear father Kurt Otterby), wife Diane Rice of Bremerton, (step-daughters Debbie, Karen and Rhonda, brother-in-law Roger Haley), brother Tom Rice of Bangkok, Thailand, brother Ray Rice (wife Gayle) of Bremerton and a number of nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service will be held Friday, August 6, 2021 at 2pm at the Stone Chapel "Poulsbo Mortuary" in Poulsbo, Washington.