1917
Claude
2014
Claude Rice, Jr.
June 8, 1917 — September 2, 2014
Claude L Rice, Jr., retired attorney, retired business owner, and skilled private pilot, died Tuesday, September 2, 2014. He was 97 years old. Mr. Rice was born June 8, 1917, in Coffeyville, KS. After graduating high school in Burlington, Kansas, he enrolled at Washburn University where he completed both an undergraduate degree and a law degree (JD). Soon thereafter Pearl Harbor prompted Mr. Rice to join the Army Air Force where he received aviation training and became a flight instructor.
After World War II Mr. Rice returned to law practice and he was soon appointed Chapter XIII trustee for Kansas City, Kansas. After the Korean conflict escalated into open warfare, he answered the call to serve his country again, this time as a legal officer at the Department of Defense in Washington DC.
He again returned to Kansas City to resume his law practice and responsibilities as trustee. He was a member of the Wyandotte County, Kansas and American Bar Associations, serving for a period of time as the chairman of the Corporation, Banking, and Business Law section. He also became a nationally recognized expert in Bankruptcy Law and was invited to testify before Congress on multiple occasions.
In the mid-1950’s he began automating the administration of his rapidly growing Chapter XIII caseload and soon co-founded Electronic Processing, Inc (EPI), a computer firm that provided data processing services in every United States Bankruptcy Court in the nation (1964-1983). In 1965, he took a leading role in the formation of the National Association of Chapter XIII Trustees, a group of 34 Chapter XIII trustees that has since grown to over 1000 members, including more than 200 trustees, bankruptcy judges, lawyers for debtors and creditors, certified public accountants and other insolvency related professionals. Mr. Rice was affiliated with the law firm McDowell, Rice, Smith & Buchanan and continued to daily come into to the office, whenever in the area, even past his 95th birthday.
Mr. Rice is survived by his wife, Eva Zahony Rice, his sister, Louida Arnold, a daughter, two stepsons, two stepdaughters, nine grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., Friday, September 5, 2014, followed by funeral service at 2:00 at Overland Park Chapel 8201 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS. Burial with military honors follows at Corinth Cemetery, Prairie Village, KS.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Dean’s Fund for Excellence, Washburn University Foundation, School of Law, 1729 SW Mac Vicar Avenue, Topeka, KS 66604. Please indicate that they are in memory of Claude L Rice, Jr. Condolences may be left at www.overlandparkchapel.com.
After World War II Mr. Rice returned to law practice and he was soon appointed Chapter XIII trustee for Kansas City, Kansas. After the Korean conflict escalated into open warfare, he answered the call to serve his country again, this time as a legal officer at the Department of Defense in Washington DC.
He again returned to Kansas City to resume his law practice and responsibilities as trustee. He was a member of the Wyandotte County, Kansas and American Bar Associations, serving for a period of time as the chairman of the Corporation, Banking, and Business Law section. He also became a nationally recognized expert in Bankruptcy Law and was invited to testify before Congress on multiple occasions.
In the mid-1950’s he began automating the administration of his rapidly growing Chapter XIII caseload and soon co-founded Electronic Processing, Inc (EPI), a computer firm that provided data processing services in every United States Bankruptcy Court in the nation (1964-1983). In 1965, he took a leading role in the formation of the National Association of Chapter XIII Trustees, a group of 34 Chapter XIII trustees that has since grown to over 1000 members, including more than 200 trustees, bankruptcy judges, lawyers for debtors and creditors, certified public accountants and other insolvency related professionals. Mr. Rice was affiliated with the law firm McDowell, Rice, Smith & Buchanan and continued to daily come into to the office, whenever in the area, even past his 95th birthday.
Mr. Rice is survived by his wife, Eva Zahony Rice, his sister, Louida Arnold, a daughter, two stepsons, two stepdaughters, nine grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., Friday, September 5, 2014, followed by funeral service at 2:00 at Overland Park Chapel 8201 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS. Burial with military honors follows at Corinth Cemetery, Prairie Village, KS.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Dean’s Fund for Excellence, Washburn University Foundation, School of Law, 1729 SW Mac Vicar Avenue, Topeka, KS 66604. Please indicate that they are in memory of Claude L Rice, Jr. Condolences may be left at www.overlandparkchapel.com.
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