From the Daily Republic

Stephen ‘Steve’ V. Rice

Sept. 21, 1951 — March 21, 2018

Stephen V. Rice, 66, passed away March 21, 2018. He was born Sept. 21, 1951, to Mary and Art Rice in Berkeley, California.

Steve graduated from Fairfield High School, in 1970. He joined the Army in 1971, and was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He became a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne, where he earned a sharpshooter medal. After leaving the Army, he became a boilermaker, working for Kaiser Steel in Napa. After Kaiser Steel closed he went to work for Southern Pacific Railroad, where he enjoyed working for the railroad as trains were such a big part of his life growing up. He ended his career working for Chevron in Richmond and Vallero in Benicia.

Steve enjoyed people, he could talk to anyone from the CEO to the janitor and they would all listen. Steve always had a great story to tell. Steve married late in life and had a son, Steve Jr., of which he was extremely proud of.

Steve is survived by his wife, Bridget Hirsch-Rice of Woodland; son, Steve Rice Jr.; stepsons, Aaron and Paul Hirsch; mother, Mary Bryant of Vallejo; brother, Geary Rice of Fairfield; niece, Jessica (Billy) Hume of Vacaville; nephew, Tommy Rice of Fairfield; aunt, Lon Dee Erick of Tamecula; and cousin, Aronda (Richard) Paterson.

Steve was preceded in death by his father, Art Rice of Fairfield.

Services will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, July 10, 2018, at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Road, Dixon, California. Friends and family are invited to attend.