RICE
ELKINS — Reward and tributes are being given to Don Rice, a famend Randolph County historian and creator who handed away July 3 on the age of 92.
“A county, if it’s fortunate, has that one man who is aware of the historical past of the county, and in Randolph County, that was Don Rice,” Phyllis Baxter, the Randolph County Historic Society secretary, instructed The Inter-Mountain.
“He knew the historical past, he was passionate in regards to the historical past. He was researcher. He documented and preserved that historical past and instructed these tales for all these years.”
Rice was president of the Randolph County Historic Society for almost 40 years, and printed a number of books about native historical past, together with “Randolph 200: A Bicentennial Historical past of Randolph County, West Virginia” and “Elkins Centennial Album.”
Rice additionally wrote for The West Virginia Encyclopedia and Goldenseal journal, and contributed articles to and offered analysis help to The Inter-Mountain on a number of tasks through the years.
In 2019, throughout a Randolph County Museum Founders Recognition ceremony, the next was examine Rice:
“Don was the chief of the hassle to create the Randolph County Museum within the Seventies. When he heard that the Blackman-Bosworth Retailer was accessible on the market, he spearheaded the hassle to boost funds and buy the constructing. Figuring out that the Randolph County Historic Society, whereas a venerable establishment had by no means had a house of its personal for packages or to deal with collections, he had the imaginative and prescient to see how necessary a museum could possibly be for the Society and for the County.
“As soon as the constructing was secured, they put out phrase and other people introduced stuff in. By way of the years he has continued to hunt out related artifacts and paperwork that inform the story of our county.
“The donations and loaned gadgets Don secured have shaped the idea for the intensive and wealthy assortment of the Randolph County Museum.”
Since Rice’s dying, tributes to him have been flowing in on social media.
Goldenseal, a West Virginia-focused historic journal, posted the next to its Fb web page:
“Over this final weekend, we misplaced certainly one of our best promoters of West Virginia historical past with the passing of Donald L. Rice on July 3. Mr. Rice (1929-2021) had a uncommon degree of data and enthusiasm for all-things historical past. Along with writing many books about Randolph County — and articles for Goldenseal — he helped spark a motion to protect the historic city of Beverly WV USA. He additionally liked to share his wealth of data with youthful generations and can proceed to be an inspiration to historical past buffs throughout West Virginia, together with our journal’s editor.”
Ken Sullivan, a former editor of Goldenseal after which government director of the West Virginia Humanities Council, posted, “Don Rice was our go-to man for Randolph County historical past at each Goldenseal journal and the West Virginia Humanities, and he did the Randolph County article for the West Virginia Encyclopedia. He was a champ and might be missed by historians statewide.”
Rice graduated from Elkins Excessive Faculty and Davis & Elkins School, and was a soccer standout at each faculties.
“Don performed on the D&E soccer workforce of 1948,” native legal professional George Triplett instructed The Inter-Mountain. “I actually regarded as much as him. When he graduated school, his first educating job was at Durbin Faculty in Pocahontas County, so he had a protracted drive forwards and backwards from Elkins.
“I keep in mind he had what I assumed was a pointy automotive, and after I noticed him get out of that vehicle wearing a swimsuit, prepared to show, I assumed he was an actual position mannequin for me as a younger man,” Triplett mentioned. “He was an incredible individual. We’ve misplaced a fantastic man.”
Rice additionally taught at Elkins Excessive Faculty, and served as principal of Harman Faculty. He retired in 1987 as Assistant Superintendent of Faculties for Randolph County, following a few years of service as an administrator within the county college system.
He additionally retired from the West Virginia Military Nationwide Guard, with over 20 years of service, 9 of which had been full-time lively service years. He additionally earned a grasp’s diploma from West Virginia College.
Rice is survived by his spouse of 68 years, Carolyn, and their three youngsters, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
