Frederick Peter Rice

Frederick Peter Rice, lovingly known as “Pete” to his friends and family and “Pappy” and “Pop” to his grandsons, passed away peacefully on March 2, 2026, in St. Augustine, Florida, at the age of 87. Born on December 26, 1938, in the Bronx, New York, Pete was raised in Roslyn, Long Island, where he spent his boyhood fishing in the backyard park, playing basketball, and cheering for his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers. He met his wife Liz as a teenager in Roslyn, and the two married there on June 1, 1963.

After attending C.W. Post and Cornell University, Pete built a distinguished career in journalism. He began as a photographer and reporter at the Montgomery Advertiser, later served as an editor at the New Haven Register, and in 1969 moved to Miami to join the Miami Herald, where he worked for 35 years. Upon retirement, Pete and Liz settled in St. Augustine, where he enjoyed fishing, writing, and reading. Though reserved by nature, his sharp intellect and quiet sense of humor won the hearts of everyone who knew him.

Above all, Pete was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather whose family was the center of his world. He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Liz Rice; his daughters, Carrie Wilken (Mike) of Ormond Beach and Laurie Segreto (Mark) of Sarasota; four grandsons, Michael, Nicholas, Christopher, and Dominic; and his brother Robert Rice. He was predeceased by his parents, Frederick and Lydia Rice, his brother Larry, and his sister Linda.