W. Brooks Rice

Francestown, NH W. Brooks Rice, Jr., 77 of Francestown, died peacefully at home on February 23, 2016, surrounded by his loving family. Brooks was born in Boston, MA on May 23, 1938 the son of Rev. William Brooks Rice, Sr. and Elizabeth (Lindsey) Rice. Brooks grew up in Wellesley Hills, MA and attended local schools there. Brooks and his family spent a great deal of time in the White Mountains and he continued that passion into adulthood as a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club Hut crew in the summers during high school and college. He left New England to attend college at Denison University in Ohio where he met his future wife, Nancy (Mellinger) Rice. Brooks moved to Tarrytown, New York after college to take a teaching position at the Hackley School in 1960. He and his wife Nancy lived and worked at Hackley for 20 years. He served in many roles including the Head of the Lower School. His most cherished memories of those times were as a basketball coach and leading summer programs to the American West with his dear friend Robert Pickert and both of their families. Brooks and his family spent many summers in Francestown, and he and his immediate family relocated there in 1980. He resumed his teaching and coaching career at local schools until he attained a position at South Meadow School in Peterborough. He taught and coached in Peterborough until this retirement in 1997. Along with mentoring thousands of students over the years as a social studies and math teacher, he also coached the middle school girls' basketball team. While he was a gifted educator, his true passion was working with student-athletes in the gym. Brooks held many passions and valued being a member of the local community. He loved gardening, harvesting fresh vegetables and sharing with others, reading, supporting the members of the UNH Rowing program, and watching sports of all kinds. He also enjoyed traveling with his family including camping, periodic trips to explore Europe, and spending winters in Melbourne Beach, FL. While at home, he and Nancy enjoyed visiting with friends and entertaining. His favorite event of the year was the annual Labor Day party that he and Nancy hosted for all members of the Francestown community. Brooks was an active member of the Peterborough Unitarian Church. He greatly enjoyed coordinating community dinners, teaching Sunday school and supporting the summer Lyceum program. Brooks was also a long-time member of the Francestown Fire Department. Along with his wife, Brooks is survived by his two children Letitia Rice and her husband Mike Boyd of Bennington and Jonathan Rice and his wife Jennifer Anson of East Burke, VT. He will also be greatly missed by his grandson Liam Brooks Rice, his 2 step grandchildren, and his nephew Lindsey Rice, Jr of Barrington, NH. His brother Lindsey Rice, Sr, predeceased him. In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorial contributions be made in Brooks' name to: American Cancer Society. A memorial service will be held at the Peterborough Unitarian Church, 25 Main Street, Peterborough, on Saturday March 5, 2016 at 2 PM.

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