Obituary of Sims Lavelle Rice

Funeral services for Sims Lavelle Rice, age 80 of Columbia will be held 1:00 PM Friday, February 1, 2019 from the sanctuary of Fellowship Baptist Church in Columbia with Bro. Robert Cooke and Bro. Brian Rankin officiating. Interment will follow in the Columbia Hill Cemetery under direction of Riser & Son Funeral Home of Columbia. Visitation will be at the Fellowship Baptist Church on Friday from 10:00 AM until time of service.

Sims Lavelle Rice was born on April 13, 1938 at Winnsboro, LA to the union of his parents, Perry L. Rice and Myra Henderson Rice and he passed from this life on January 29, 2019 at the Monroe Nursing and Rehabilitation Center following an extended illness. Mr. Rice served in the United States Army and was a member of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. He served as manager of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture Tree Farm here in Columbia for many years. Growing up in a family that loved to play music, he was extremely talented and played many different musical instruments. He loved the outdoors and was an avid gardener. He loved his family with all his heart and being an animal lover, his dogs were special to him as well. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Faye Thompson Rice and by his sisters: Essie White, V-toil McGraw, Lavern Cassels, Elouise Mayo and Etta Loyce Eubanks.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Patricia Barnette Rice of Columbia; his daughter, Tammie R. Moses and husband, Johnny and his granddaughter, Kassi Rice all of Denham Springs, LA; five step-daughters: Pam McGuire and husband, Charles of Columbia, Sherry Varner and husband, Marty of Columbia, Sharon Richmond and husband, Tim of Grayson, Susan Duplissey and husband, Rick of Sterlington and  Cindy Ballard of Columbia; his step-son, Randy Barnette and wife, Robin of Columbia; his brothers: Eugene Rice of Hebert, Donald Rice and wife, Mary of Livingston, LA, Wachel Rice and wife, Cookie of Shreveport, Nathan Rice and wife, Betty of Monroe, Herman Rice and wife, Sissy of West Monroe; his sisters: Jessie V. Massey and Phillip of Monroe and Wanda Cox and husband, Larry of Monroe; thirty-four grandchildren, forty-one great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.

Serving as pallbearers will be Marty Varner, Randy Barnette, Jason Varner, Charles McGuire, Jamie Barnette, Jonah Varner, Tim Richmond and Rick Duplissey. Honorary pallbearers include Phillip Beach, Bennie Lee, Larry Cox and Mark Rice.

The Rice family would like to extend a very special thank you to Kristy Varner for the wonderful care she gave him during his illness.

In lieu of flowers any planned memorials should be made to the Alzheimers Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10001.