Michael "Mike" Rice

Michael "Mike" Rice

May 28, 1948 - August 04, 2026

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Obituary

Michael “Mike” D. Rice, age 78, passed away on August 4, 2026 at his home in Madison, WI. He was born on May 28, 1948 in Richland Center, WI to parents, Gerald and Rachel (Joyce) Rice.

Mike graduated from Ithaca High School in 1966 and attended MATC to obtain his Real Estate and Broker license. In 1968, he was drafted into the United States Army. He was a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Air Medal recipient and was honorably discharged in 1970. Mike married Sharline Spurley on October 20, 1973. He dedicated 38 years to his work at Oscar Mayer Manufacturing, holding a union position for 20 of those years, retiring as Union President.

Mike loved playing softball, coaching little league baseball, deer hunting, fishing, golfing, and gambling. He especially enjoyed trips to Las Vegas and Biloxi, Mississippi.

Mike will be dearly missed and always remembered as a loving father, grandpa, brother and proud veteran.

He is survived by his sons, Brad (Dana) Rice and Jim (Doris) Wade; grandchildren, Josh (Beth), Jenna, Amanda (Zach), Mitchell (Kelsey), Austin, Brandon (Haley); 12 great-grandchildren and 1 great great grandson. He is also survived by siblings, Diane Anderson, Donna Holz, Tom, Pat (Carol), Mary (Steve)Dana, Dan (Sandy), John (Rita); and numerous nieces, nephews, other loving family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Sharline, and siblings, Bill, Richard, Jerry (Jan), Maureen (Tom) Mooney, and Teresa.

The family would like to extend a thank you to Mike’s caregivers, Elana and Addie, his VA Care team and to Agrace Hospice, along with a special thanks to his grandkids for helping to care for him.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, August 14, 2026 at Ryan Funeral Service & Legacy Center, 6728 Mader Dr., Madison, WI. A visitation will take place from 4:00-7:00 p.m., Thursday and for one hour prior to the service, from 10:00-11:00 a.m., Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Sunset Memory Gardens, Madison, WI.

Memorials may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

To view his obituary or leave a memory, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Events

13
Visitation
Thu Aug 13, 2026 @ 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM CDT
Ryan Funeral Service Legacy Center • 6728 Mader Dr, Madison, WI 53719
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14
Visitation
Fri Aug 14, 2026 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CDT
Ryan Funeral Service Legacy Center • 6728 Mader Dr, Madison, WI 53719
Get Directions
14
Funeral Service
Fri Aug 14, 2026 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT
Ryan Funeral Service Legacy Center • 6728 Mader Dr, Madison, WI 53719
Get Directions

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Memories

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Michael "Mike"
DW
Donald Willis
Friend •
Mike was a classmate and teammate and friend. He was a good athlete in baseball and basketball and football. I remember as quarterback fe threw me a perfect pass and I dropped it....hit me in the hands! Sorry Mike... may you dwell with God. Enjoy a new life! it
SP
Stephanie Paull
Friend •
My first memory of Mike was when I was in college working at the Blue Moon. He was wearing a shirt that said, "When I die, bury my old balls next to my old bag (or something like that." I commented on the shirt and Mike laughed his famous laugh. He told me his wife who had just passed bought that for him. Over the years we got to know each other more. I realized what an amazing woman Shar was and I wish I would have met her. Mike had a heart of gold and I am very grateful for knowing him. The world really lost an amazing person. Condolences.
LH
Leonard Hatter
Friend •
Mike and Shar were Lifesavers for me as I navigated my troubled teens from about 13 years old onward. I practically lived at their house half the time and Shar always took good care of me while Mike tolerated me LOL! He was a good guy that was always generous while also strict when necessary when his stepson Jimmy and I needed discipline which was pretty often LOL! I'll never forget everything they did for me and I'm grateful to have had them in my life! Things would not have been the same for me if not for them. They got me out of a few difficult jams too back in the day! Mike was generous enough to cosign on a loan for me to expand my business when I really needed it back in the 80s. He even had the amazing humility to apologize to me for being strict sometimes when I was a teenager after I'd come to visit him a few years ago! I told him he should have kicked me in the ass a lot harder LOL! I certainly deserved it back then! The bottom line about Mike was that he was rock solid, honest, generous, tolerant and reliable as well as one tough SOB! I knew Mike & Shar since 1972 when I was in the fourth grade. I'll never forget the many times he paid for my dinner when Jimmy and I were hanging out. And him tolerating me sleeping over at his place almost as much as I slept at my own mom's place between 13 and 15 years old. Another thing he always did, was generously make his pool in the backyard available to all the kids in the neighborhood. He loved kids and was always generous and tolerant more than anyone else I've ever known. I know everyone will miss him a lot for all of the many things that made him so special! Leonard Hatter
GP
ginger parkhurst
Friend •
Extending sympathy to the Rice fanily... 🥀 The Rice family were neighbors across the street in Sextonville Wi--it was mentioned in Mike's obit of him enjoying playing ball-I remember the family always playing ball in their yard.
RS
Robert Sugden
Family •
I was a very good friend of Mike’s brother Dick,I love the Rice family they were wonderful people. a great family
JL
John Lowrey
Friend •
My wife and myself lived across from Mike and his wife on Harvey Street. He was a good neighbor and I am sorry he passed away. John Lowrey

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