Rice, William Earl, 81 of St. Clairsville, Ohio died Monday, August 2, 2010 at Wheeling Hospital.

He was born August 10, 1928 in Jacobsburg, Ohio, a son of the late Earl J. Rice and Ora Taylor Rice.

Bill was a retired auditor for Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp., a former employee of Reichart?s Furniture in Wheeling, former owner and operator of Rice Homes in St. Clairsville, a former assistant professor at Ohio University Eastern Campus, a 1946 graduate of St. Clairsville High School, he was appointed to West Point Military Academy and finished his education with an MBA from Ohio State University. He was a member of Thoburn Methodist Church in St. Clairsville, Belmont Lodge # 16 F&AM in St. Clairsville, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a grandson, Ronnie Rice.

Surviving are his wife, Jerilyn Bogart Rice; five children, Earl J. (Sharon) Rice of Van Wert, Ohio, Brett (Tamara) Rice of Vermont, Jennifer (Marc) Jackson of St. Clairsville, Melanie (Greg) Eaton of St. Clairsville, and Suzanne (David) Jebbia of Wheeling; a sister, Mary Lee Powell of St. Clairsville; 19 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren.

Friends will be received at Toothman Funeral Home in St. Clairsville on Friday from 2 to 4 & 7 to 9 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. until time of service at 11 a.m. with Rev. Jerry Wenger officiating. Burial follows in Union Cemetery, St. Clairsville.

Belmont Lodge # 16 F&AM will conduct Masonic Services on Friday at 7 p.m. in the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Clairsville Stadium Improvement Fund, P.O. Box 202, St. Clairsville, Ohio 43950.