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By FORREST CLARK NEWS Staff WriterThe blue sky, the clear morning air and the small group of veterans gathering at the grave made a scene for a fitting memorial tothe man who they were honoring.It was not the man alone they were honoring in this Sarasotacemetery.(See picture on page 1)This man devoted 30 years ofhis life to the postal service and performed his duty for his country overseas in World War I, serving in such battles as the Argonne with the famous 26th Division, “The Yankee Division.’*. It was not this man alone they were honoring.It was the 36 men in this area who paid the sacrifice for their country and for all the others throughout the United States and the world who fought and died for liberty.Basil H. Rice today symbolized all those men and women for alltime.As the group gathered at h i s graveside in the morning light his life, symbolic of the type of citizen who fought for freedom, passed in review.He went to France at an earlyage, 15 or 16, saw duty in some of the bloodiest battles of thatwar and came home to Sarasotato participate actively in veterans organizations.Rice symbolized the averagetype of veteran who queitly but with bravery serves his nation in peace and war.His widow and his sons carry on the tradition. One is employed here and another is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. They are Leslie Rice ofSarasota and Otto C. “Red” Rice now a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy.A daughter, Mrs. FrederickSmiseth lives in Winston * Salem, N.C.Mrs. Myrtle Rice, his widow,lives at 1884 Waldemere St.Rice was overseas for 18 months. Thousands of other veterans served overseas or at home and thousands still guard our outposts around the world.It is to these that Sarasotanspaid tribute today during graveside ceremonies, waterfront services and speeches.But the quiet services at t h e graveside of Basil Rice summed them up more eloquently than words, bands or parades.
Newspaper Details
Sarasota News
Sarasota, Florida, US
Tue, May 30, 1961
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Susan O.
NA, 05 Oct 2021
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