Larry Elliott Rice “Pappy”
Larry Elliot Rice, 71, of Orange, Texas, passed away on December 15, 2017, in Houston, Texas.

Funeral services will be 12 p.m., Tuesday, December 19, 2017 at North Orange Baptist Church in Orange. Officiating will be Reverend Lynn Ashcraft, Reverend Rusty Dollar and Reverend Larry Lormand. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday, December 18, 2017, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.

Born in San Antonio, Texas, on September 29, 1946, he was the son of Elliott Tillman Rice and Thelma Woodall Roberts. He was a lifelong member of North Orange Baptist Church. Larry worked as a Fiber Optic Cable Specialist at Southwestern Bell for 36 years and at North Orange Baptist Church handling Maintenance for more than 15 years. He enjoyed hunting and fishing in the Sabine, Toledo, Rayburn and Hill Country, or as he would call it, “God’s Country”. He was a member of Orange Gun Club and spent his free time woodworking and making handmade pens. He loved spending time with his family and especially his grandkids who lovingly knew him as “Pappy”.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Tillman Rice and Thelma Roberts; and grandson, Walker Rice.

He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Karen Rice; father-in-law, Gerald Williams; daughter, Wendy Hanks and husband Scot of Orange; son, Shane Rice and wife Deanna of Orange; grandchildren, Taylor Hanks, Conner Hanks, Parker Hanks, Brianna Rice and Wesley Rice; brothers, Eddie Rice and wife Cindy of Lumberton and Richard Rice and wife Gwen of San Antonio; and sister, Donna Rice of Pleasanton.

Serving as pallbearers will be Tim Williams, Eddie Rice, Scott Rollins, Robert Clark, Parker Hanks, and Wesley Rice. Honorary pallbearers are his Men’s Sunday School Class at North Orange Baptist Church.

He will be dearly missed by all those who knew and loved him.

In Lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be sent to North Orange Baptist Church Building and Grounds fund.