His funeral is at the First Lutheran Church, Williston on Friday, April 10, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. The Rev. Martin Mock will officiate and interment will be at Riverview Cemetery, Williston.
A memorial service was held at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mesa at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2009.
Friends may visit the Everson Web site at www.eversonfh.com to share thoughts and remembrances of Verdine, and may call at the Everson Funeral Home on Thursday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. and at the church on Friday for the hour preceding the funeral.
Verdine D. Rice was born Jan. 16, 1918, one of 11 children to Peter P. and Ellen Caroline (Asheim) Rice on their farm east of Mohall. He attended rural school in Renville Township. At the age of 16, he enrolled in the North Dakota Agricultural College Prep School and graduated from high school in 1937 and from NDSU with a B.S. in agricultural engineering and agricultural education in 1939.
He married Lourine Bender on June 8, 1941. She preceded him in death on May 18, 2001, three weeks short of their 60th wedding anniversary.
Rice taught vocational agriculture in Wishek from 1939 to 1956. In addition to his teaching career, he was active in church and civic organizations in Wishek. He was Sunday school superintendent at St. Luke’s Lutheran and was one of the founders of the Wishek Lutheran Brotherhood, where he served as president. He served as the secretary of the Wishek Park Board.
Rice was guided by the philosophy of William Danforth who quoting St. Luke 2:52, “and Jesus grew in stature and wisdom in favor with God and man,” developed a personal credo: Stature is your body development; wisdom is your education and learning process throughout life; favor with God is your Christian growth and development through daily prayer; and favor with man is your social life in your family and your community.
In 1956, Rice continued his teaching career in Williston, teaching vocational agriculture for another 24 years until retirement in 1980. He was president of the North Dakota Vocational Association, North Dakota Agriculture Teachers Association and he was honored as the North Dakota State Vocational Agriculture Teacher of the Year in 1971.
Rice served as the midwest regional chair of the National Agriculture Teachers Association, representing the states of North Dakota and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin for three years. He was director of the National Hard Spring Wheat Show for the 24 years he taught in Williston and was secretary of the show for many years. He was honored at the Valley City Winter Show for his work with the North Dakota Crops Show.
Rice was recognized by the Future Farmers of America with the Honorary State and Honorary American Farmer Awards. He also received the FFA Distinguished Service Award. He was a life member of the National Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association, and the National Future Farmers of America.
After retirement from teaching, Rice was elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives, where he represented District #1 for eight years. He served on the Appropriations Committee, Education Committee, Health and Human Services Committee and Agriculture Committee.
Rice was active in the Williston Rotary Club from 1957 until his death. He was a Paul Harris Rotary Fellow and served as president of the Williston Club for two years. He was also a life member and active in the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks of Williston, serving 12 years as chairman of the state youth committee raising money for youth scholarships and serving as the local and state Elk’s president.
Verdine and Lourine enjoyed church and community activities, where he served on the church council of First Lutheran Church and was president of the Associated Dinner Club and the Square Dancing Club. For many years he was a timer at the local Coyote basketball games.
In his latter years, he enjoyed cards and conversation with many friends in Williston and at his winter residence in Mesa.
He is survived by two children and their spouses, Judith and Paul Bodmer of Lindstrom, Minn., and Peter and Janette Rice of Orlando, Fla; by his three grandchildren and their spouses, Ethan and Gina Bodmer of Cloquet, Minn., Jordana and Chris Drevecky of Circle Pines, Minn., and Shannon Rice of Orlando; by his two great-granddaughters, Sophia and Madelyn Drevecky of Circle Pines; two sisters, Edith (Rice) Verdorn of Big Lake, Minn., and Lila (Rice) Lunde of Mohall and his brother-in-law, Eugene Wiest of Sun Lakes, Ariz.
The Everson Funeral Home of Williston is caring for the family locally.
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