Jarrett Leonard "Buddy" Rice died January 1, 2009 at his daughter's residence in Newport, Md. He was 79 years old.

Born April 7, 1929 in Newburg, Maryland, he was the son of Jarrett Webster Rice and Olive Mae Bowie Rice.

Mr. Rice was a lifetime farmer who loved bird hunting and took great pride in his English setters. He played baseball for Glasva and enjoyed watching baseball, especially the 1961 Yankees. He was also a bus driver for Maloney Enterprises for 22 years, and worked at Glasva Shell for 16 years.

Mr. Rice belonged to many organizations in the county and was very active. Among those were the School Bus Drivers Association, Maryland Tobacco Growers Association, Charles County Farm Bureau, Southern States Cooperative, the Charles County Soil Conservation District, Charles County Agricultural Land Preservation Board, Charles County Agricultural Advisory Commission, the Route 301 Task Force, Maryland State Farm Bureau, Charles County representative for the Tobacco Buyout Program, Maryland Grain Producers, Ducks Unlimited, Charles County Farm Bureau Board of Directors (life time member and two time president), Maryland Tobacco Authority and the Southern Maryland Tobacco Board.

Mr. Rice was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Clara Elois Bowling Rice grandson, Justin Lee Overstreet, sister, Jean Swann and brother, Harry E. Rice.

He is survived by his daughter Susan Lynn Rice (Dale Lee Overstreet);sons, William Leonard Rice, Sr. (Melinda Lee), Michael Wayne Rice (Paula Marie) and James Allan Rice (Cheryl A.), sisters, Marguerite Edwards (Jack), Grace Franklin, sister-in-law, Carol A. Rice, Grandchildren: Rocky Rice, Jill Rice, Becky Rice-Overstreet, Amanda Rice, Margaret Rice, Mickey Rice, Brandon Rice, James Rice, Jr. and Buddy Rice; great grandchildren, Emilie and Madison Rice, three step-grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Mr. Rice on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 from 2:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home, P.A., 30195 Three Notch Rd. Charlotte Hall, Md. A prayer service will be held at 7:00p.m. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at Brinsfield-Echols. Interment will follow at Christ Episcopal Church, Wayside, Maryland.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Hospice of Charles County, P.O. Box 1703, LaPlata, MD 20646 or the Newburg Volunteer Rescue Squad & Fire Department, P.O. Box 9, Newburg, MD 20664.

Arrangements provided by Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home.