CHERRYVILLE: William Martin Rice, 77, of 702 Craig St., died June 18, 2009 at home. He was born in Galion, Ohio, on June 17, 1932, son of the late Margin and Ethel Hurrell Rice.

He was retired Staff Sergeant from the U.S. Army and retired security guard at Marion Correctional Institution in Marion, Ohio. A member of Sunrise Baptist Church Kings Mountain, NC and former member of the American Legion and the Eagles Club of Marion, Ohio,

Survivors include his wife, Lois Ruth Tiller Rice, of the home; sons, Jimmy Rice and wife, Barbara of Willoughby, Ohio, Billy Rice and wife, Nikki of Marion, Ohio; a step-son, Edward Franklin Hawkins, of Cherryville; daughters, Evelyn Hawkins and husband, David of Marion, Ohio, Marlene Griffith of Marion, Ohio, Kathleen Rice of Marion, Ohio; brother, Jim Rice, of Mansfield, Ohio; sister, Martha Rigdon and husband, Lester of Monroe, NC; several grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Carpenter's Funeral Home with Rev. Hinkle Rayfield, Rev. Ricky Sigmon, Rev. Gary Teague II officiating with burial in the City Memorial Cemetery with full Military Honors by U.S. Army. Family will receive friends on Friday at the funeral home from 6-8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Society, 2200 Lake Blvd., Atlanta, GA, 30319.

Condolences may be sent to www.carpentersfuneralhome.net