Augustus H. Rice Jr.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

AMHERST – Augustus H. “Chip” Rice Jr., 63, of Amherst, died unexpectedly on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009, at his home.

He was born in Claremont, on May 14, 1946, a son of the late Augustus H. and Diantha (Whipple) Rice, Sr. He had been a longtime resident of Amherst.

Mr. Rice was the husband of Roxanne (Kehm) Rice, whom he married on April 4, 1981. They shared 28 years of marriage.

Most recently, Mr. Rice was a programmer for Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He worked in the past as a senior software engineering manager for Compaq, and with Digital Equipment Corp.

Mr. Rice was a Vietnam War veteran, having served in the United States Navy.

He will be remembered as a devoted husband and father.

Fraternally, he was a member and Past Master of Ancient York Lodge 89, F. & A.M. in Nashua, and the New Hampshire Consistory 32nd Degree Scottish Rite. He had also served as a New Hampshire Grand Lodge as a District Education officer.

Mr. Rice had many varied interests, including reading, camping, boating and fishing and he was learning how to tie flies. He was at one time a member of the Nashua Fish & Game Club. Mr. Rice had been working towards his private pilot’s license and was in the process of building a car. He was always interested in new challenges and had recently taken classes in making Windsor chairs. Mr. Rice also had achieved his brown belt in karate and was a ham radio operator.

He graduated from Stevens High School in Claremont. Following his graduation, he attended the Vocational Technical College in Concord and graduated from Old Dominion University magna cum laude. He received his master’s degree in business administration from Southern New Hampshire University.

In addition to his wife, his surviving family includes his children and their spouses, Christopher David and Cynthia Ann Rice, of Hillsborough, Ian Ethan Rice and fiance Heather Breen, of Shreveport, La., Andrew Heath and Christine Jennifer Rice, of Kittery, Maine, and Emily Easter Rice, of Manchester; his grandchildren, Paige Arianna Rice and Brandon Joseph Breen; his sister and brother-in-law, Pamela and Richard Gendron, of Cornish, his sister-in-law Mary Batchelder, of Claremont, and his sister-in-law Cindy Sue Bene and her husband James, of Smithfield, Va.; his father-in-law and mother-in-law William and Charlotte Kehm, of Debary, Fla.; his nieces and nephews, Megan Formichelli, Skylar Tetu, Luke Gendron, and Thomas, Kirk and Spencer Batchelder; his uncle and aunt, Larry and Jean Whipple, of Corpus Christi, Texas; and his beloved dog, Rudy.

Mr. Rice’s family will greet family and friends from 1 p.m. until his Masonic Funeral Service conducted by the officers and member of Ancient York Lodge at The Davis Funeral Home, One Lock St., Nashua on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.

A prayer service and time for sharing memories follow. Interment prayers and burial will be private.

The Davis Funeral Home in Nashua is in charge of arrangements.

An online guestbook is available at www.davisfuneralhome nh.com.