Obituary of Robert Rice

Robert “Bob” Rice, 69, of Killingworth died at Connecticut Hospice in Branford on May 13th, 2011. He was born on July 5th, 1941 in Southampton, NY to Robert and Francis Rice of King of Prussia, PA. Bob spent his teen years in Remsenburg, NY after his family moved to what had been their summer home and was reared in the family sport of sailing. His interest in all things mechanical was apparent in the go-carts he built at an early age as was his love of trains and the railroad. Following high school, Bob joined the Army and served in Taiwan, where he built his first electric cars and returned as a civilian for several years following his tour of duty. Upon returning stateside Bob pursued his passion for electric vehicles working in that industry in Detroit and then Florida. He married Wendy (Zoe) Margaret Hawkins in 1973 and their three sons, Ken, Charles, and Eric, were born after they settled in Connecticut. In 1974 Bob began his career on the railroad, working his way from ticket agent to engineer before retiring in 2005. In his spare time, Bob continued to build electric cars, commuting from Killingworth to New Haven in one of his creations. He served as President of the New England Electric Auto Association, helping many other enthusiasts with their electric car conversions. Bob will be remembered for his strong opinions, unique sense of humor, and penchant for talking about his passions. Bob is also survived by his daughter-in-law, Rebecca, and his grandchildren, Leo and Lily Rice. His wake will be Friday May 20th at Robinson, Wright and Weymer Funeral home, 34 Main St, in Centerbrook, CT from 6-8pm.