My uncle Billy Carl Rice, a Baptist preacher all his life, died at the age of 79 on Wednesday, July 15th, 2009. He was one of the most kindly, pleasant, and loving people I've known, and together with his wife, my aunt Joanna Rice, he provided an important model and example for me when I was growing up. His last name, Rice, was the same as his wife's maiden name. There was no family connection going back at least a couple of centuries. but the coincidence provided opportunities for confusion. I'll always cherish my lovely Uncle Bill.