In Memoriam

James “JJ” Rice Jr.
1977-2024

MARYLAND—James “JJ” Rice Jr. of Maryland passed away on October 27, 2024 in Fine, New York.

Born on March 21, 1977 in Star Lake, New York, James was the son of James and Sandra (McKenney) Rice.
 
He graduated from Clifton-Fine Central School in 1995, where he was an accomplished athlete competing in hockey, baseball, soccer and wrestling. After graduation, he attended SUNY Brockport for a year before transferring to SUNY Geneseo, where he earned a bachelor of science degree. He then earned his master’s degree at Upstate Medical School in Syracuse in May 2003.

Less than a month later, he married his high-school sweetheart, Carrie L. Tatnall, and just a few days after that they moved to Danville, Pennsylvania, where they bought their first house together and JJ completed his Emergency Medicine Residency at Geisinger Medical Center.
 
After completing his residency, JJ and Carrie bought a house in Maryland, New York and he took a job at A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonta, where he made many great friends and was known as Jim. After some years at Fox Hospital, he landed at the Tri-Town Hospital in Sidney, New York for several years, where he served as the Emergency Department director. Most recently he was an emergency physician for the University of Vermont at their Ticonderoga and Elizabethtown Emergency departments.
 
JJ was an outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish. Some of his happiest times were on Cranberry Lake, camping and fishing with his sons as well as other friends and family. He also loved spending time at the family’s “Big Creek” hunting camp. He enjoyed golfing, especially with his good friends, in Oneonta. He spent most of his free time outside doing various activities, including skiing, snowmobiling, boiling maple syrup, cutting wood and working on his property.

Even as a little boy, he was always outside playing with his trucks and riding his three-wheeler. Recently, he was spending time teaching his boys to pitch baseball and helped coach PJ’s baseball team last year, which he truly enjoyed. He was a jack of all trades, constantly doing his own work on his house and property, and no task was ever too big or overwhelming for him. He just got it done.
 
James is survived by his wife, Carrie Rice, his sons, PJ L. Rice and Nixon T. Rice, his parents, Jim and Sandy Rice, and his sister and brother-in-law, Jodi and Todd Szlamczynski. He is also survived by nephews Eric and Adam Szlamczynski, Spencer and Simon O’Neil, and a niece, Saoirse O’Neil.
 
Calling hours were held from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, November 1 at the French Family Funeral Home in Star Lake, New York. The funeral was held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 2 at St. Hubert’s Catholic Church, Star Lake. Burial at St. Michael’s Cemetery in Fine, New York will follow the funeral service.
 
Donations in memory of JJ Rice may be made to the Schenevus Central School Booster Club, 159 Main Street, Schenevus NY 12155.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the French Family Funeral Home, 4159 State Highway 3, Star Lake.