from the Rice family

Monticello, NY — Sam Rice, 87, of Monticello, N.Y, passed away peacefully on Saturday (April 14) after a brief battle with cancer at Elderwood Nursing Facility in Hamburg, N.Y.

Photo courtesy of the Rice family

Sam Rice was a member of the USTA and Monticello Harness Horsemen Association for many years.

Rice was the son of the late Morris and Sara Ricer and he was born on July 15, 1930 in Poland. A Holocaust survivor, he immigrated to the United States in the late 1940s.

Rice worked many years as a kosher chef in the Catskill mountains during the heyday at the Tamarack Lodge and the Raleigh Hotel, amongst others. While he cooked for many celebrities and dignitaries, he also volunteered his culinary time and talent to local synagogues in the area.

He was a member of the USC Shoah Foundation, long time member of the United States Trotting Association and the Monticello Harness Horsemen Association. Throughout the majority of his life he owned race horses at Monticello Raceway, as well as other metropolitan racetracks.

He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather and friend to all that knew and loved him. He will be sadly missed.

He is survived by his daughters, Marilyn Del Gaizo (Michael), Gail Soberon (George), his sons, Stuart Rice and Jack Rice (Maria), nine grandchildren, four great grandchildren and one sister, Dina Rotsztein. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his son Edward Rice as well as a brother and sister.

Funeral Services will be held at Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, 396 State Route 52, Woodbourne, N.Y. at 11 a.m. on Thursday (April 19)

Interment will follow at Glen Wild Cemetery, Glen Wild, N.Y.

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