Gerald Rice

Gerald Rice Sr. , was born August 28, 1950 in Mescalero NM, he was half Mescalero, Potawatomi and French. He lived most of his life in Mescalero, but he also lived in Colorado and California for brief periods in his younger years. He obtained his GED from University of Nebraska he attended Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence Kansas, TVI Community College in Albuquerque NM. He worked for the Mescalero CHR program, Mescalero Housing, and Mescalero Tribal Court.

He was an avid artist that loved to sketch, paint Wild life and Traditional portraits. He enjoyed the outdoors, riding horses, carpentry, fishing, hiking, hunting, and working with animals.

His family would like for you to know that he was very patient, calm, full of advice, a deeply religious man, he practiced both of his cultures of Apache and Potawatomi. He enjoyed attending Powwows, traveling. He loved his family and especially his grand kids and greatgrand kids. He was a man that put everyone before himself, a family oriented man, and this was demonstrated by taking in children and raising them as his own.

He retired from the Mescalero Tribal Court as Honorable Judge Gerald Rice, after 14 years of service. He married Clarissa Rice on February 16, 1979. They had 8 children, Raenell Casares , Crystal Rice, Breanna Rice, Gerald Rice Jr, Dewayne, Jeremy, Jordan Comanche and Lynnelle Rice. He also had numerous Nieces, nephews, grand Children and Greatgrandchildren. He is proceeded in Death by his parents William Rice and Loretta Rice. He is survived by aunts Ethel Rice of Reno Nevada and Mary Hughs of Colton California. He had one sister Renea Rice, four brothers, Wallace Rice Sr., Richard Rice, Melvin Rice Sr., and Michael Torres.

Prayer service will be Wednesday, April 23, at 6:00 PM at his residence. The funeral service will be Thursday, April 24, at 10:00 AM at the Mescalero Reformed Church with burial to follow at the Mescalero Cemetery.