Kenneth Bellamy Rice

Our beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, and Great-Grandfather Kenneth Bellamy Rice passed away peacefully Easter morning surrounded by family and loved ones, to reunite into the loving arms of his Heavenly Father, his parents, and his 3 siblings Bill, Catherine and Ray.
Born January 5, 1927 to Henry Alfred and Grace Vivian Bellamy Rice in Salt Lake City, Utah.
He grew up and lived in Salt Lake City during the depression and learned values of frugality and hard work which he carried on throughout his entire life.
He graduated from Granite High School and entered the United States Army immediately after because World War II was still being waged.
He joined the military on May 8, 1945 and served in occupied Japan.  His occupation in the Army was as a carpenter, and foreman over Japanese workers.  He helped the people of Japan rebuild after World War II and he grew to love the people there as he served them.
He served in the Utah National Guard from Oct 1954 to March 1957.  His occupation in the National Guard was as a Corpsman. He helped build Guardsman Pass.
He received honorable discharge from both the Army and Utah National Guard and went to work at the Veteran’s Hospital in Salt Lake City.
He married Kathryn LaRaine Spence Harper on May 1, 1953, and later solmnized in the Salt Lake Temple on September 28, 1954.  He promised her that she would always have a roof over her head and food on their table and provide for his family, which he did.
He was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  He served as a Ward Clerk for over 50 years of his life and held additional callings including being a home teaching companion with all of his sons, a ward and stake missionary, Sunday School President, High Priest Group Leader, and as a Bishop’s Councilor.
He enjoyed spending time with his family in the outdoors, camping, hunting, and especially stream fishing in the mountains of Northern Utah.
He enjoyed woodworking and woodturning and crafting things for his children and grandchildren.  He build cradles, miniature kitchen cabinets for his daughters and granddaughters.  He supported his wife in her crafts by making her sewing machine cabinets, and quilting frames.
He enjoyed working in his yard gardening.  He always had a flag pole and flew the flag of the United States of America proudly.
He enjoyed his neighbors, helping them with projects they needed help with, and the converations that he had with them.
He worked at Hill Air Force Base as a sheet metal mechanic in the 1960’s and 1970’s and retired from there with a medical retirement.
He spent over 20 years as a School Bus Driver for Granite School District.  He enjoyed driving the children back and forth to school and on field trips.  He really enjoyed trips up to Mill Hollow or other canyons where he was able to stop on his down time to watch deer, pick berries, read novels and enjoy nature.
Throughout his life he worked multiple jobs to help keep his promise to privide for his family.
He and his wife served in several missionary capacities including a proselyting mission to the Atlanta Georgia Mission, and returned to serve at the Family History Library, Humanitarian Center, Member Locator Department, and as an Ordinance Worker at the Jordan River Temple.
His grandchildren were a great love of his life.  He loved to spend time with them, teasing them, and holding them.  He was always a little more lenient with his grandchildren, who he thoroughly enjoyed.  Some of his happiest moments were when he was surrounded by his grandchildren including the day that he passed.
Survived by his wife, children, Eddie (Kathy), Kathryn (Mark) Shelton, Laura Rice, John (Sarah), Rich (Yvette), Ray (Laurie), 28 grandchildren, and 44 great grandchildren.
Preceeded in death by his father and mother, brothers Bill & Ray, sister Catherine, son George David, son-in-law Don, great-grandson Don, and best friend Roy.
Funeral Services Fri. April 1, 2016, 11:00 AM, at Kearns 10th Ward (5025 W. 4865 S.).  A viewing will be held at Redwood Memorial (6500 S. Redwood Rd) Thurs. March 31, 2016, 6-7:30 PM, and for one hour prior to the funeral services. View the full obituary at www.memorialutah.com.
Service Information
Viewing March 31, 2016 at 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Memorial Redwood Mortuary, 6500 South Redwood Road, West Jordan, Utah 84123





Viewing April 1, 2016 at 10:00 AM
Kearns 10th Ward, 5025 West 4865 South, Kearns, Utah 84118





Funeral Service
April 1, 2016 at 11:00 AM
Kearns 10th Ward, 5025 West 4865 South, Kearns, Utah 84118