Donald Mark Rice's Obituary
Donald Mark Rice was born in Tulsa Oklahoma, September 29, 1959. He attended and graduated from Jenks Public Schools. Don first saw his wife Jamie at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, where he was an acolyte, while they were still in high school. They were married in the church after dating for four years. He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Radio, Television and Film.
His first job after graduation was selling advertising for a local radio station in Ardmore Oklahoma. He was asked to announce high school basketball on the local radio station. That is where his sports announcing career began. His radio career took his family from Ardmore to Norman and finally back to Tulsa. Don loved to talk to people, so he spent his life in sales of all kinds so he could constantly meet new people.
Don and Jamie had two boys. Jeffery Scott and Michael Thomas, Don loved coaching Jeff and Mike in his two favorite sports baseball and football. He started coaching Jeff in baseball with the Bears and a couple of years later began coaching Mike in flag football with the Sharks. So, all of our free time was spent at practice and games. Don began working in the convenience store business just so he could have his afternoons and evenings free to coach his boys.
Coaching his two boys in sports increased our family exponentially. He treated each child on his team as if they were one of his own. That expression of love earned him lifelong relationships with so many of the boys he coached. When we lost Mike this January, these relationships helped him feel like he still had a part of Mike with him. He was a part of both BAYB and BAYF for several decades and recently expanded to Jenks Baseball.
What Don loved most about coaching was passing on not only his love of sports to a younger generation but the important life lessons. Whether he was coaching, umpiring or announcing sports, watching young men develop the confidence to try new endeavors or reach for their dreams made him feel like a success.
Don was preceded in death by his parents Lloyd and Winnie Rice, as well as his son Michael. He is survived by his wife Jamie, son Jeff and Val Rice, sister Connie Rice, and grandchildren Cheyenne, Phoenixx, Brynlee, and Vann. He has many nieces and nephews he enjoyed watching grow to be loving and responsible adults.
Don's family will be hosting a memorial service to honor his life. The service will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church, located at: 4250 W Houston St, Broken Arrow, OK 74012. NOTE: Anyone wishing to send any floral arrangements for Don's service, please have them sent directly to St. Patrick's Episcopal Church as Floral Haven Funeral Home will not be staffing the service and cannot guarantee floral deliveries should arrangements be sent to the funeral home.
Arrangements entrusted to Floral Haven Funeral Home.
What’s your fondest memory of Donald?
What’s a lesson you learned from Donald?
Share a story where Donald's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Donald you’ll never forget.
How did Donald make you smile?