Ancestral Histories

Grandpa Rice

My grandpa’s name is Ronald Lynn Rice. He is the father of my father Michael K Rice. He died four years ago (Personal knowledge of the author, Julie Rice). As I explored the life of my grandpa for this short paper, I decided to focus on attributes and qualities of my grandpa rather than life/key events.

            I began my exploration of Grandpa Rice by interviewing my father. I also read Grandpa’s eulogy written by his three daughters. There is a few reoccurring themes in both of these sources. One theme is that Grandpa was gifted at talking to and associating with people. My father said during the interview, “He befriended everyone—all the neighbors. So, we were all the time going over to see someone to make sure they were okay, and bringing them stuff, and finding out what they needed” (Michael Rice, interview, 2013). Concerning this same theme, Grandpa’s eulogy states, “Dad had many church callings and loved serving. When he was Bishop is one where the members really grew to love him. It states in his patriarchal blessing that dad would be a blessing to those who sought his help and many would come to him for comfort. Dad truly had this gift and people loved being around him. He touched lives no matter where he was. He was always very grateful for the help and care he received in the assisted living home and the employees there loved to help him. Whenever we would go visit dad there, the nurses would tell us how lucky we were to have such a wonderful father. He set such a great example for us to follow” (Mason, Taylor, and Hansen, “Dad’s Eulogy,” pg. 3).

            A second theme is Grandpa’s dedication to the gospel of Jesus Christ. My father stated, “Every summer we would break away for a vacation and hook on the travel trailer and go camping for a week or so. And if we were gone on a Sunday, we always had our church clothes so that we could go to whatever chapel there was.”

            “Church was a high priority for Grandpa?” I asked.

            “Yeah, first thing” (Michael Rice, interview, 2013).

            My father expressed how grandpa’s dedication to the church set an example for him.

            The eulogy states, “…dad lived his life so he always had the spirit with him. One day he decided to go on a drive with Mom, which they loved to do frequently on the spur of the moment. They both loved being in the mountains and never tired of visiting Stanley Lake and the view of the Sawtooths. This drive could be done in one day, so off they went. It was in the early part of the year, snow was still present on the sides of the road and on the mountains. As soon as dad pulled into Stanley, he had the impression to go home. He thought, I have just gotten here but the spirit spoke to dad again, ‘go home.’ That was all it took. Dad was obedient, got back in the car and told mom, ‘we are going home, don’t know why but we just need to.’ Later that night after they had returned home safely, dad received a phone call from a good friend who was concerned if they had made it home. For unbenonced to dad, the road they had just traveled on was impassable. An avalanche had occurred and it took several days to clear the road (Mason, Taylor, and Hansen, “Dad’s Eulogy,” pg. 3).

            During the years that I knew him, I also noticed these attributes in my Grandfather. He loved to socialize and always had the cutest smile on his face. He had a great laugh too. I know that his home housed the spirit. It was a place of love and good works. I have learned so much from studying his life the little that I have. He is a great man and a great example.

References

Mason, Verlee; Lorita Taylor; and Rolaine Hansen. "Dad's Eulogy." Home of Michael K Rice, 2751 S. Nova Ln., Meridian, ID 83642.

Rice, Julie. Personal knowledge. [address for private use].

Rice, Michael. Meridian, ID. INTERVIEW by Julie Rice 17. March 2013 written. Privately held by Julie Rice, [address for private use], Meridian, ID 83642, 2013.

Grandpa Stone

            My Grandpa’s name was Earl Raymond Stone. He was known to all for being funny, witty, and likeable. He was always up for having some fun (Personal knowledge of the author, Julie Rice). My mother told me in a personal interview, “He used to sing along with the radio when he was a little boy, so they [the family] would stand him up on a box for him to sing” (Bonnie Rice, interview, 2013). While he was elderly in the nursing home, he pulled a fire extinguisher off the wall once and began spraying all of the staff (Personal knowledge of the author, Julie Rice).

            Grandpa Stone loved cars. He loved to go on road trips; he could drive for hours. My mother said in the same interview, “He was enlisted in the army after he was married. Ronnie [their first son] was also left at home. He was deployed to the Philippians and went to New Guinea in World War Two. He drove and chauffeured for the Red Cross and for the General. He was in Motor Pool, so he didn’t see any combat. One time, I asked him. I said, ‘so did you shoot anyone?’ He answered, ‘No…. sorry to disappoint you,’ and I said, ‘I didn’t want you to shoot anyone, I just wanted to know.’”

            Then, I asked my mother how Grandpa got to be a driver in World War 2. She answered, “He loved cars. He had some experience. He worked at the service station in Blackfoot, and an automobile repair” (Bonnie Rice, interview, 2013).

            One thing I never knew about my Grandpa Stone until my interview with my mom was that he became a pilot. She said, “The war ended, I think in ’46, and he got what was called the GI bill. So, they paid of school, college, or whatever, and dad chose to be a pilot. So, he was a pilot for a while. He took grandma up in a plane and scared her to death. When I was about 11 or 12, my parents finally had some money from the Desert Inn [a restaurant they owned in Mountain Home, Idaho], and they went to Boise to buy an airplane. But he decided that if he bought the airplane, that was how he was going to die. So, they bought furniture instead. He said he knew if he bought that airplane, that was how he was going to die, and he was right. He drank and drove, and there was going to be no stopping him from drinking and flying” (Bonnie Rice, interview, 2013).

            I also learned from the interview that Grandpa Stone had a monkey while serving in World War Two. Her name was Nana, but she got sick. Grandpa took her to the vet, but the vet disappeared one day and Nana was never seen again. Hearing that my grandpa had a pet monkey came to no surprise to me. Again, he was always up for having fun. This is what can be learned from looking at the life of Grandpa Stone. Even when life was difficult—like serving in the Philippians with a wife and new son at home—Grandpa made most out of life and found something good.

           

References

Rice, Bonnie. Meridian, ID. INTERVIEW by Julie Rice 18. March 2013 written. Privately held by Julie Rice, [address for private use], Meridian, ID 83642, 2013.

Rice, Julie. Personal knowledge. [address for private use].