Lester Rice, 88, of Pittsburgh, formerly of Bradford, PA, St. Marys, PA, Elmira, NY, Chicago, IL, and Detroit, MI, passed away Saturday, June 20, at Sunrise Senior Living, following a lengthy illness. He was born on February 23, 1927, in Detroit, MI, a son of late Carvel and Irene (McGloughlin) Rice. On June 29, 1957, he married Barbara H. Winston at Grace Lutheran Church, in Detroit, MI.
He served in the United States Navy where he attended Electronics Technician School. After his military service, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1951. He began his career with Westinghouse Corp., where he worked 16 years. In 1969, he joined Airco Speer, located in St. Marys, PA. The U.S. operations merged with KOA Corp. in 1980, and KOA Speer Electronics was established in Bradford, PA, where he served as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman. He served on the boards of several professional organizations, including the Electronics Industry Association (EIA), and was active in the Bradford Rotary and Exchange clubs, the Bradford Family YMCA, the Bradford Area Alliance, the Pitt-Bradford Advisory Board, and the board of directors of Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems. He also served on the executive committee of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, where he received their highest honor, the Presidential Medal of Distinction.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara H. Rice; three sons, Scott (Carina Karlsson) Rice of Sarasota, FL, Jeffrey (Julie Wilber) Rice of Bradford, PA, Timothy (Caroline Satterwhite) Rice of Gibsonia, PA, and two daughters, Jody (Carl) Kjellberg of Mahwah, NJ, and Judith (Chuck Kim) Conklin, of Woodbridge, VA. Also surviving are his 13 grandchildren; Amanda, Adam, and Alex Rice; Chris Johnson, Carl and Katherine Kjellberg; Irene and Robert Rice; Matthew and Maria Kim; John, Julia, and Jake Rice.
Relatives and friends are invited to a memorial service on Thursday at 11am in the First Presbyterian Church, Bradford, PA. A luncheon will be held at the Penn Hills Country Club at 1:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in Lester’s memory to the First Presbyterian Church or the Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems, both in Bradford, PA.
Arrangements by HP Brandt Funeral Home, Inc. Condolences may be offered at www.brandtfuneralhome.com