Ethel Reece Cemetery

Barnsdall, Osage County, Oklahoma

Claude Jerome Rice

© Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise Bartlesville, OK February 8, 2018 Submitted by: Ann Weber

Claude Jerome Rice passed away on February 3, 2018 at the age of 93.

Claude was born December 22, 1924 in Caddo, Oklahoma. He was raised in Antlers, Oklahoma and moved to Pawhuska in 1946. He married Mary Jane Carr on November 22, 1951 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Pawhuska. They made their home in Pershing, Oklahoma, raising four daughters. They moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 2009. They celebrated 66 years of marriage.

Claude's work career became early as a Guard in Long Beach, California. In 1946, he worked as a deputy sheriff in Antlers, Oklahoma and later on a ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In 1947, he worked as an equipment operator for Secrest Pipe Coating in Tulsa. Over the next 22 years, he worked on pipelines in most of the 50 states, including Alaska.

In 1969, he was hired by Kendall Company, a pipe coating company based in Chicago, as a Field Serviceman. He was on call for the next 19 years to go anywhere in the United States or overseas. He worked in Brussels, Belgium, Duren, Germany, London, Netherlands, Rome, Milan, Italy, Turkey, Tehran, Iran, Beirut and Lebanon.

He thoroughly enjoyed his retirement in 1988, sharing his many talents with family, friends and his community. Claude was a self-taught master of design and carpentry. His standard of expertise would serve as a benchmark for future generations of carpenters within the community. His family cherishes his many works of art throughout their homes.

Claude is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary Jane, of the home; sister Wanda Hudson of Bartlesville; four daughters, Debbie Lacy, Denise Barkley and Kim Walker, all of Bartlesville; Kat Pulido and husband, Ralph, of Oologah; seven grandchildren Shawna Hailey and husband, Chris; Matt Burrow; Karissa Haberly and husband, Matt; Sunni Marsden and husband, Drew; Cassi Clark and husband, Victor; Lindsey Clark and husband, Ben; Shelby Livingston and husband, Tanner; three step-grandchildren Barry Barkley and wife, Donna; Kevin Barkley and wife, Heather; Kyle Barkley and wife, Sylvia; ten great grandchildren John Pinney, Brayden and Sheridan Hailey, Trenton Haberly, Jack and Mia Marsden, Victor and Tre Clark, Aubrey and Miles Clark, Turin and Tallie Livingston; Nieces and nephews Richard Sullivan and wife, Sharon; Cindi Shank and husband, Bill; Paul Hudson and wife, Shelly.

Claude was preceded in death by parents, Ezra and Lillie Rice; sister Alta Sullivan; and son-in-law, Vernon Barkley.

Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, February 6, 10:00AM, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Pawhuska. Father Sean Donovan will be officiating with Father Chris Daigle to co-celebrate. Interment will follow at Ethel Reece Cemetery in Barnsdall under the direction of Kendrick McCartney Johnson Funeral Home.

This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent.
All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited!
© 2000-2024 Oklahoma Cemeteries

The information on this site is provided free for the purpose of researching your genealogy. This material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, for your own research, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The information contained in this site may not be copied to any other site without written "snail-mail" permission. If you wish to have a copy of a donor's material, you must have their permission. All information found on these pages is under copyright of Oklahoma Cemeteries. This is to protect any and all information donated. The original submitter or source of the information will retain their copyright. Unless otherwise stated, any donated material is given to Oklahoma Cemeteries to make it available online. This material will always be available at no cost, it will always remain free to the researcher.