May 19, 1933 - September 11, 2025
Funeral services for Cecil Rice, age 92, of Meno will be at Central Assembly of God in Enid at 2:00 PM Thursday, September 18, 2025, with Pastor Josh Cosby and Pastor Scott Betts officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Meno under the direction of Anderson-Burris Funeral Home & Crematory.
Cecil Leon Rice was born on May 19, 1933, in Seminole county to Opal Mary (Young) Rice and Delbert Ray Rice and passed away Thursday September 11, 2025, in Enid. He was preceded in death by two older siblings at a young age. He was the oldest of four children: Georgia Randolph, Helen Williams, and Louis Ray Rice.
He attended school in Tahlequah and later moved to the panhandle of Oklahoma for work. He pursued a career as a welder before he married and had two daughters, Diana (Rice) Dingess and Charlotte (Rice) Schrahl. In 1958, he married Esther Irene (Graves) Rice from Hardesty, OK and they made their home in Guymon and had two sons, Douglas Rice and Gary Rice before relocating with a construction company to Ringwood with the oilfield. During that time, he had another daughter, Cecilia (Rice) Frech.
Later, Cecil and Esther bought a homestead in Meno, where they resided from 1970 until present, raising their family and attending Central Assembly of God. He bought his own welding truck and started his business of Rice’s Welding. Esther and Cecil were married for 67 years. Cecil was a kind and generous man, loving his family and life. He was very soft-spoken. His retirement years were spent fishing at Keystone Lake and Fort Gibson Lake in eastern Oklahoma.
Cecil is survived by his wife, Esther, of the home in Enid, sons Douglas Rice and wife Barbara Campbell of Breckenridge, Gary Rice and wife Susan Glaze Rice of Ringwood, daughters Diana Dingess and husband Arvol of Lahoma, Charlotte Schrahl and husband Rodney of Ringwood, and Cecilia Frech and husband Chris of Enid; grandchildren Arvol Dingess and wife Jenna, Staci McMullen and husband Matt, Philip Schrahl and wife Amber, Kristine Almack and husband Nick, Elizabeth Abbott and husband Tim, Abigail Rice and husband Brandon, and Sherry Rice; as well as two sisters Georgia Randolph of Los Alamos, New Mexico and Helen Williams of Locust Grove, Oklahoma, and nine great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents Roy and Opal; one brother Louis Rice; and one grandson Conrad Rice.
Memorial contributions in Cecil’s name may be made through the funeral home to Hospice Circle of Love or Central Assembly of God in Enid, OK.
Condolences can be made to the family online at Andersonburris.com. Honored to be recognized nationally, the past 6 years, for the Pursuit of Excellence award. Because family matters, let us take care of yours. We are proud to own the only crematory in Garfield county and ensure your loved one receives the care and respect they deserve while never leaving our care. Visit 3002 N. Van Buren, Enid, OK 73703. Call: (580) 233-2700.
