Jeffrey James Rice was born June 11, 1980 to James Ernest Rice and Janice Gayle Snider Rice in Brownwood, Texas. He lived in Brown County all his life. The Rice family first settled in Brown County in 1889. Jeffrey passed from this life May 30th, 2023 in Reeves County, Texas.
Jeffrey was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and graduated from TSTC with honors in 2005. He loved to hunt and work on old cars. Computers, guns or cars, he could repair just about anything. He really enjoyed his time working on older Fords with his mentor and friend, Herb Tisdale at “the shop”. One of his favorite hunting trips was with his Uncle Johnny and cousin (other brother) Hayden. On that trip to south Texas, he bagged a World Record Class Merino Ram. He went on several other hunting trips that he enjoyed greatly with them and his brother Joshua. There were also the trips to the ranch with family and vacation time with the whole Weeks family each summer that he enjoyed greatly. If you needed anything, Jeffrey was the person to go to. He would do whatever he possibly could for anyone he knew or even a stranger that needed help. Most of all he deeply loved his family.
Jeffrey is survived by his wife, Gabrielle Kennamer Rice; his dearly loved children, Jayden Christopher Kennamer, Amiyah James Rice, and Kate Ona Rice; his mother, Janice Gayle Snider Rice-Sheffield and her husband Philip; brothers, Joshua Larry Rice, Jonathan Curtis Sheffield, David Philip Sheffield, Jr. and his wife Amanda and their children, James Thomas Sheffield, Joshua Lee Sheffield and his wife Crystal and their children; his sister, Misty Alisha Sheffield and Maxi and children; grandmother, Mary Marjorie Cardwell Sheffield; mother-in-law, Patti Weeks Kennamer; grandmother-in-law, Patsy Weeks; sister-in-law, Amber Kennamer McCullough and her husband Michael and children; Uncle John Snider and his wife Elaine and their children – Haley and Hayden (who was a brother more than a cousin); aunts, Nancy Weeks Henry and husband Bill and children, Janie Weeks McClatchy and husband Ricky and children, Shirlie Sheffield Rust and husband John and children, Joann Sheffield Marshall and husband Richard and children and a very special friend whom he called his “other brother”, our adopted family, James Stroope and his wife Stephanie and children.
He was preceded in death by his father, James Ernest Rice; uncle, Larry Eugene Snider; aunt, Angela Rice McCarty; maternal grandparents, J B Snider and Ida Louise Switzer Snider; paternal grandparents, J B Rice and Ina White Rice, and David Lee Sheffield; father-in-law, Pete Kennamer and grandfather-in-law, Arnett Weeks.
Per Jeffrey’s wishes, he will be cremated and his ashes will be spread on the Rice family farm and ranch with a small private gathering for family and friends.
Online condolences, memories and tributes can be made to the family at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net