- Date Of Birth: November 24, 1957
- Date Of Death: July 24, 2016
- State: Illinois
Merle S. Rice, 58, of Freeport, died Sunday, July 24, 2016 at the University of Chicago Hospital.
Born November 24, 1957 in Freeport he was the son of Finnis and Carolyn (Ontjes) Rice.Merle attended and graduated from Peal City High School. Merle pursued his passion in Car Sales that led him to owning his own car lot.
Surviving are his mother, Carolyn of Freeport; his sister Roxane Rice of Davis; his brother, David (Carey) Rice of Pontiac, Illinois; his nieces, Samantha and Grace; his nephews, Connor and Andrew. He was preceded in death by his father, Finnis Rice; as well as his paternal and maternal grandparents. The family would like to thank his two exceptional caregivers, Brenetta Hall and Mark Crawley, who gave their all to keep Merle independent and in his own home.
A big thank you to Dr. Geller and Dr. Beth who gave their all to keep him alive. Merle had a strong will to live, especially the last several years despite repeated infections and hospitalizations. Merle’s innate optimism would not allow him to give into his deteriorating health. He was able to enjoy his corvette the last month of his life.
