Edward Rice

Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Edward Keith Rice, 78, of Clarksville, Tenn., died July 24, 2017, at Tennova Healthcare of Clarksville.

Edward was born on Dec. 9, 1938, in Emmett, Idaho, to the late James Rice and the late Wanda Flowers Portrey. He also was preceded in death by Rita M. Rice, his wife, and brothers, Thomas Rice and William Rice.

The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 4, 2017, in the Sykes Funeral Home Chapel with Archbishop Michael Nesmith officiating. Burial with full military honors will be at 1 p.m. at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery-West in Hopkinsville, Ky. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 4, 2017, and will continue until the hour of service at the funeral home.

Edward was a United States Army veteran who faithfully served his country for 32 years. He served numerous tours overseas in Germany and was deployed to Vietnam twice. During his first deployment in 1965 he was assigned to 2nd Platoon, B Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, and fought in the Battle of Ia Drang near LZ X-Ray and was wounded. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart. After retiring from the Army he worked as a mail handler for the U.S. Postal Service, from which he also retired. He later went to work as a gate guard at Fort Campbell and left that position to care for his ill wife. He adored his wife, loved his family and the Army.

Edward is survived by his sisters, Donna Watterlin of Meridian, Idaho, and Mina Portrey Simonsen of Ione, Wash.; his children and their spouses, Maria Rice McClure and Michael McClure of Clarksville, Edward and Shirley Rice of Hopkinsville, Ky., Jacqueline and Max Meany of Falcon, Colo., Catherina and Constantine Garas of Clarksville, Thomas and Shannon Rice of Clarksville, and Robert Rice and Shumin Chen Rice of Mililani, Hawaii; his adopted son, Michael Rice of Clarksville; and his godson and spouse, Christian Edward and Sabrina Kraus of Weismain, Germany. He also is survived by his grandchildren, Monique and Joseph Whitty, Christopher McClure, Sheena McClure and James Crespo, Christopher Sampley, Deniece and Richard Gillispie, Jennifer Hoffman, Kaitlin Rice and David Smith, Jerry Max and Sondra Meany, Tiffany Meany, Tina Marie Garas and Scott Jett, Steven Garas, Alexander Garas, Lauren Garas, Lily Rice, Isabelle Chen Rice, and Alexis Chen Rice; and his great-grandchildren Zachary Biter, Isaac Whitty, Sophia Griffith, Emmanuel McClure, Tyler McClure, Jesse Crespo, Ricky Gillispie, Brooke Gillispie, Jaxson Gillispie, Brayden Hoffman, Madison Hoffman, and Mary Kilpatrick.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation in Edward’s name to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Arrangements entrusted to Sykes Funeral Home and Crematory, 424 Franklin St., Clarksville, Tenn. 37040.