Michael Dana Rice
April 2, 1954 – April 12, 2022
Michael Dana Rice passed away on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 from liver cancer. He was 68.
Mike was born on April 2, 1954 in York, Pa. He was the son of the late Jane Seese Rice and
Herbert A Rice. He graduated from East Stroudsburg High School in 1972.
Mike worked for many years in both land sales and time sharing in the Pocono Mountains before
moving to Virginia where he started his own business of building homes on Lake Monticello.
From there he branched out and started his own company called Innovative Promotions. It was
here that he developed his proudest product; the “Pro’s Soft- Bait Glue” used for fishing lures,
worms and various baits. He could be seen using these repaired worms and lures from coast to
coast.
Mike was an avid outdoorsman who liked to fish and hunt with family and friends. He also
enjoyed bowling and riding his Harley. His biggest pleasure in his life was flying the
two-seater planes. He got his pilot’s license at the age of 16.
He is survived by his son, Steven Smith of Bethlehem, Pa; brother Gary Rice(Patricia) of
Bethlehem, Pa; sister Sandra Rice Guthrie of Kansas; sister Teresa Rice Bridges of VA; and many nieces and nephews.
No funeral or memorial services are scheduled at this time.
It’s “surreal” to see my Dad’s life summed up in this way. These are some facts of his life, but there should have been so much more to come! The cancer took him from us too quickly and with nothing left to add to his story….
So PLEASE, if you knew my Mike Rice.
Share a memory and/or a photo of yours!!
Thank you all and God bless,
Steven Smith “Mike’s boy!” 🤗
Dear Steven,
I’m deeply sorry for the loss of your Father. He was
such a wonderful person and very good friend of mine
for over 50 years. He will be sorely missed by many, especially me! He will always have a place in my heart and mind. I know his love of flying, after he got his private pilots
License he took me for a ride at the East Stroudsburg airport! What a thrill it was for both of us!!!
He will be forever in my heart and my mind.
God Bless you all 🙏
Debbie Shook/Freeman
Mike was a good friend and regular fishing partner . We shared many common interests; Fishing, Technology, Business, Health and Patriotism.
My fondest memory of Mike was on one of our fishing outings , he caught twenty four trout . This was his best fishing day and he mentioned it often when we were together.
As I will remember him for the good times we shared, in the future I will think of him as “Gone Fishing”. God speed.
David
Dear Steven and Family
My deepest condolences. Although I haven’t seen Mike for over 20 years, we were good friends when i lived in the Poconos. My best memories of him were the times we spent flying. When my son was small and he was spending some some weekends with my Mother in Sussex, Mike was always there offering to fly us to and from the Poconos to Sussex every time. Although i am not a pilot, Mike would let me get some air time flying which was a great experience. Although flying was his passion, i believe he was even more passionate sharing this experience with others. I remember watching him smile from ear to hear as he watched me taking the controls and soaring through the air. Rest in Pease and soar high my friend, we will catch you on the other side.
Hello Steven,
All of us at Bob Smith Industries send you and the family our deepest condolences. We have done business with your father for the past two decades and Innovative Promotions is a special company to us, as well as Mike’s friendship and great conversation. We were all extremely shocked and heart-broken to hear of his passing.
I had the pleasure of being his sales rep. and we enjoyed many laughs over the years. Mike knew I was fond of lily flowers and would email me pictures of his lilies every spring. I even have a photo of some along with a picture of him at my desk and it will remain there indefinitely. Your dad was one of my favorite customers to talk to through out the years and I always enjoyed hearing that he got to go on a nice motorcycle ride when the weather was good! And, in 2020, when I was diagnosed with cancer and out of work for six months, he would send messages to me through coworkers and after I returned, he would always check in on me. It meant the world to me. He even sent me a beautiful cross necklace as a gift of my return to work and recovery. I, unfortunately, did not know he had cancer but I understand why he did not tell me.
We will always remember him fondly and when I hear the motorcycles on our road heading to the coast for a ride, I will think of him! And, of course, every time I see the lilies…
With Deepest Sympathy,
Jennifer Moore & The BSI Family
Wow!!
I am SO thankful that you all shared your memories with me, as it brings back so many for ME!! He talked about you ALL so frequently, yet I’ve never met you. I would visit my Dad in Virginia and we would fish. I could never beat that “record” he set with you David! Until now I thought it was only a “fish-tale!”
My Dad took me and my friend Cody flying for my 5th Birthday! He also let me take the controls and fly “the sesna!”
He would talk to anyone, anywhere and I admired that. He loved what he did and loved the people he worked with! “Lilies” would be the first flower he’d look for in the spring. He’d always be looking to brighten someone’s day. Thank you all so VERY MUCH for your condolences and blessings of the memories shared! He will be missed.
Sincerely,
Steve Smith
Hi Steven,
I am an aerospace engineer and a model railroader in my spare time, which now that I’m retired, is almost full time. About 15 years ago I got to know your father during phone calls regarding use of his product “Dr Mikes’s Model -n-‘ Crafters Glue” for building my model trains. Since these sometimes have Delrin parts that are supposedly impossible to glue he assured me that his glue would work and it definitely did and I made some beautiful models that I couldn’t have done without it. However several years ago I had a contract with NASA to test a new satellite and my test fixture had some parts that were almost impossible to join by any known method. Your dad convinced me to use his glue and described how to apply it correctly. Well it worked perfectly and the customer was very happy. I was sorry I never got to meet him in person but I live on the west coast and we never connected. He was an amazing person who will be greatly missed by many.
All my best,
Jon Harrison
Portland, Oregon