Gene Rice of Santa Anna and Duncanville, Texas passed from this life on Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 12:55 am at his residence in Duncanville at the age of 89 years.

Services will be held on Monday at 11:00 am at the Santa Anna Cemetery Pavilion with Bro David McLean officiating.  Interment will follow with services under the direction of Henderson Funeral Home of Santa Anna.

He was born Dalton Gene Rice September 20, 1930 at the family home in Whon, Texas to Baster Rice and Joe Florence Rutherford Rice.  Gene was raised in Whon and Trickham and graduated from Santa Anna High School in 1948 continuing his education at TCU.

On December 2, 1950 Gene married his lifelong love and angel Virginia Grace Day in Liberty, Texas and they have celebrated 69 years of marriage.  They moved to Duncanville in 1964 where Gene started Rice Tunneling & Boring, a horizontal directional drilling company in 1980 with only a wish to make a living for his family. Now 40 years later it makes a living for 15 families. At the age of 73 he retired, if you want to call it retirement.  In Liberty, Texas he took care of the 100 acre farm that has been in the family for over 100 years.  Gene did what he loved to do, plant some fields, dig some ponds, clear more land, raise a few cows, and enjoy farm life with his loving wife.

Gene was a member of the First Missionary Baptist Church of Duncanville and the Masonic Lodge.  He loved his family and friends and hard work which he considered “the good life”.

SURVIVORS

Wife – Virginia Rice of Duncanville, Texas

Daughter – Belinda & husband Mark Horton of San Antonio, Texas

3 Sons – Mickey & wife Charla Rice of Duncanville, Texas

Scott & wife Delinda Rice of Bedford, Texas

 Dennis & wife Tracy Dell of Duncanville, Texas

Grandchildren – Kristin Horton, Amy Howell, Julie Webbing, Preston Rice & Hudson Rice

Great Grandchildren – Annalisa Howell & Emory Webbing

Family requests donation be made to Shriner Childrens Hospital, lovetotherescue.org in the name of Dalton Gene Rice.