Otis Dean Rice

On Saturday, March 19, 2016, Otis Dean Rice passed away at his home in Crossett Arkansas. Otis was born on the same property on Friday, March 28, 1930 to Odie Estel Rice and Ethel Mae Burchell in the old house place approximately 80 yards west of the house where he passed away. Otis lived his entire life on the place. He loved hunting, fishing and the outdoors. He loved spending time with family and telling stories of his childhood. He especially enjoyed driving his tractor and using his mowers to keep the place looking top-notch. Mr. Rice was preceded in death by his parents. Otis is survived by his wife of over 58 years, Martha Jane Reynolds Rice of Bastrop, La.; his son, Johnny Ray Jacobs of Thompsons Station, Tenn.; his daughter, Dixie Gale Jacobs Wyatt, his son-in-law, Cary Wyatt of Bastrop, La.; his grandchildren, Michael Dean Wyatt, Mitchell Lane Wyatt, Jocelyn Amanda Jacobs Hulett, and his great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn Wyatt, Jaidan Wyatt, Kiarra Wyatt, Skyla Jacobs, and Kaleb Hulett. Otis was loved and respected by all whose lives he touched. Otis was diagnosed with non Hodgkins Lymphoma in 1993. As a result of that diagnosis, Otis retired in 1993 from the Crossett Division of the Georgia Pacific Plywood Mill. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at Jones Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow at Lakewood Cemetery under the direction of Jones Funeral Home of Crossett, Ark. (www.jonesservice.com). Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Wednesday. The family wants to extend a special thank you to Doctor Laura Hutchins, the University of Arkansas Medical Science hospital and clinic, as well as all the staff who were involved with his medical treatment from 1993 to his passing. The family requests that in lieu of flowers that donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, or any of the many cancer research facilities.