Timothy Rice Obituary

Timothy Rice

Timothy "Tim" Rice, 66, stepped on a rainbow and left this earth Sunday, July 7, 2024, after an eight-year battle with liver cancer.

Thanks to excellent treatment by his Cleveland Clinic cancer care team, Tim enjoyed an active, fulfilling life until liver damage and side effects from recent treatment overwhelmed him.

Tim was born in 1957 in Gary, Indiana, the middle child of Robert and Margaret Rice. He and his brothers, Gary and Dan, were raised in Indiana and Louisiana before the family landed in Toledo. Tim graduated from DeVilbiss High School in 1976. He earned both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in English from The University of Toledo (go Rockets!). Tim taught as a part-time English and Composition instructor at both University of Toledo and Owens Community College until he began his full-time tenure at Owens' Findlay campus in 2001. He was a dedicated instructor who cared deeply for his students was proud to be an instructor in the Honors Program. He greatly enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow instructors and staff, many of whom became close friends.

Tim met Betsy Gordon in 1997 and after the world's most romantic proposal, they were married in 2003. Tim was a homebody, but he and Betsy enjoyed trips to New York City, San Francisco to their favorite vacation spot, and the hotel at West Baden Springs, Indiana. Tim played and collected acoustic and electric guitars and after his retirement in 2022, enjoyed repairing and maintaining them and his amps. He loved mashed potatoes and grilling and smoking various meats on his Kamado. He had a notoriously poor sense of direction and was a vocal back seat driver. Tim was a die-hard Rolling Stones fan and idolized Keith Richards. Tim supported Betsy's love of horses and encouraged her and even participated himself in her horse related activities. He and Betsy enjoyed watching Hitchcock films, cooking shows, and hockey (Red Wings) and baseball (Cubs and Reds) together. Although he was an introvert, Tim was unfailingly kind and interested in everyone he met. He loved Port Clinton and loved his life there.

Tim is survived by his beloved wife, Betsy; cat, Fanny; beloved beagle, Sadie; brothers, Gary and Dan Rice; nieces and nephews, Sarah, Luke, Katie, and Sean Rice; aunt, Laura Bingham; cousins, Bill, Andi (Pryer), Dick, and Sharon (Seitzinger) Bingham, and Phillip, John, David, and Carolyn (Vonhoff) Rice; mother-in-law, Juanita Gordon; and sisters-in-law, Jennifer (Yannis Cosmadopoulos) and Peg (Tony Dyer) Gordon. Tim deeply loved his family and was loved by them in return.

Thank you to Dr. Frederico Aucejo and Dr. Brian Murphy at Cleveland Clinic for giving Tim an additional eight fantastic years and to Firelands Hospital and Stein Hospice. Thank you to all the friends and family who visited and otherwise reached out to provide Tim and Betsy with love and support. All our love to Mike and Mary Kay for introducing Tim and Betsy and for their unwavering assistance, love, and help.

At Tim's request, his body was donated to Cleveland Clinic. There will be no funeral, but a celebration of life will be at a later date.

Donations may be made in his honor to KLS Equine Rescue, Inc. on Facebook using the donate button on the KLS Equine Rescue, Inc. page, or the donor's choice of organization.