Harvey Rice | City elections official, 76

Harvey "Hank" Rice, 76, a Philadelphia elections official for 17 years who retired to the Jersey Shore, died Sunday, Nov. 21, at Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point, N.J. Mr. Rice suffered from kidney disease, according to one of his sons.

Mr. Rice was born in Upper Darby and lived at various times in Philadelphia and its suburbs. He graduated from Frankford High School in 1951, and joined the U.S. Air Force the same year.

He served in the Pacific Theater and was stationed in New Mexico during the Korean War. He was discharged with the rank of airman first class in 1955.

Mr. Rice worked as a brakeman on the Pennsylvania Railroad until an injury forced him to quit in the late 1960s.

Starting in 1971, Mr. Rice served as Philadelphia deputy city commissioner for elections in the administration of Mayor Frank Rizzo, but he wasn't a Rizzo supporter.

His son Harvey, Philadelphia's deputy city controller, said his father was instrumental in stopping Rizzo from changing the City Charter to let the mayor run for a third term.

For many years, Mr. Rice was active in the Philadelphia Democratic Party. He was committeeman and ward leader in the city's 66th Ward in the Far Northeast.

In 1990, Mr. Rice retired to North Wildwood. He was elected to two three-year terms as a North Wildwood city councilman.

Mr. Rice was a deputy grand knight of the Knights of Columbus, a commander of VFW Post 5941 in North Wildwood, and a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians - Division 1 - of Cape May County and the Men of Malvern, a Catholic men's group.

He loved dogs, especially his cockapoo.

Mr. Rice is survived by his wife of 56 years, the former Dorothy Slowey; sons Kenneth and Larry; a daughter, Allison Conyers; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

A viewing at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 26, will be followed by a 10 a.m. Funeral Mass at Notre Dame de la Mer Parish, St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church, 2900 Atlantic Ave., Wildwood. Burial will be in Veterans Cemetery in Cape May Court House.

Memorial donations may be made to the Wildwood Catholic High School Scholarship Fund, 1500 Central Ave., North Wildwood, N.J. 08260.