GRANVILLE: Douglas M. Rice, 89, died Wednesday, April 1, 2015 in a local nursing home. He was born in Springfield, MA on February 18, 1926 to the late Myron and Hazel (Smith) Rice. He has lived in Granville since 1957. As a young man he worked for Hood and delivered milk to the hill towns. When he was 18 he started working for the Boston & Maine Railroad as a brakeman. He worked as a conductor for AMTRAK for three years before retiring in 1988. On March 30, 1991, he was married to Sandra Ann (Jarvis) Tibbetts in Hartland, VT and continued to make their home in Granville, MA. Douglas was a lifetime member of the Eastern Draft Horse Association, a past president and membership chairman. He put together monthly Double Tree newsletter for over 50 years. He was a gentle person and a true “gentleman.” He enjoyed railroad history, officiating and watching horse-pulls at fairs all over New England, his many cats and the simple life. He was pre-deceased by his beloved wife Sandra Ann (Jarvis) Rice on April 9, 2014. He leaves his step-children Philip Jarvis of Windsor, VT, Julie Melendy of Boyton, FL, Rebecca Potter of Wilder, VT and April Tibbetts of Bellows Falls, VT. He also leaves 12 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
Calling hours will be held on Wednesday April 8th at the Firtion-Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad Street, Westfield, MA from 1-3 pm. The funeral and burial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in his memory to the Woodland Cemetery Association. c/o Mrs. Bruce Darling, 114 Russell Road, Westfield, MA 01085.
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