John F. Rice “Jack” Rice of Lansdale passed away on April 14, 2020, after a long and hard-fought battle with cancer.

Jack was born in Philadelphia, PA, on September 13, 1942, to the late William and Ann (nee Herens) Rice. He enlisted in the US Navy in the early 1960s, serving on the USS Midway, then transitioned to the US Air Force, where he served during and after the Vietnam War.

Jack married his beloved wife, Maryann (nee Melhuish), on April 18th, 1970, and they were rarely seen apart.

After retiring from the military with the rank of Master Sergeant, Jack served as a volunteer firefighter and worked for Lockheed Martin for a number of years. He was the loving father of Bridget Bobbitt, John (Dana) Rice, and Christa (Phillip) Williams. He was the caring Popie of Aaron, Christian, Sarah, Allie, Ruby, and Casey. He is also survived by sister Terri (Joe) Maloney and brother Mike (Jane) Rice. Besides his parents, Jack was predeceased by his brothers Bill and Fran, and his sister Nancy.

When he wasn’t entertaining his grandchildren with his many stories, he spent his time staying up to date on the news and watching his cherished Philly sports teams. Even as his health faltered, Jack remained active, traveling internationally with his family every summer. His large circle of family and friends will miss him dearly.

Jack was a member of St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church in Lansdale at the time of his passing.

Due to the current pandemic, the date of Jack’s service will be postponed until it is deemed safe to gather. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Air Force Aid Society would be greatly appreciated.