William Rice Obituary

William Russell "Bill" Rice

Born on September 21st, 1939, in Gastonia, NC to Altman Russell Rice and Margaret Evelyn Carty Rice, Bill lived in Gastonia, and graduated from Ashley High School, until he attended the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Bill was a member of the Carolina Pep Band and witness to Dean Smith's uncertain start as basketball coach in Chapel Hill. He also worked as a union musician playing trumpet and piano to supplement his income, as an undergraduate.

After completing his degree in 1961, Bill began working at the University of Tennessee Hospital in Knoxville as a billing agent. Bill was a fast study in the timeliness and accuracy of medical billing. As his career began to progress, Bill was encouraged to join management and continue his education. Bill attended the University of Tennessee College of Law and continued working full time at the hospital. He completed his JD in 1976 and passed the bar in the state of Tennessee the same year.

Bill's record as a trial lawyer was a legendary, 1 and 0. As a freshly minted lawyer, Bill represented the defense in one courtroom trial in Knoxville. His client won, case closed!

Bill met Joy Heird in Knoxville, TN and the two were married in 1973. She was the Director of Nursing Services at the UT hospital where they met. The couple loved music and visiting their farm in Maryville, when Bill was working as the CEO of the UT Hospital in Knoxville. As CEO, he led development of the nation's first clinical PRT center, and the first Level 1 Trauma Center in East Tennessee. The two later relocated to Memphis, TN when Bill became Chancellor of the UT Health Science Center until his retirement. Joy passed away in 2002.

Bill and Ann Linder met on a Governors trip to Israel. They were married on Christmas Eve of 2004; Bill suddenly had children and grandchildren. The two enjoyed traveling the world, visiting family, and spending summers at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, time in Del Mar California, and family beach trips. Family time was spent cooking meals and engaging in a spirited game of Trivial Pursuit, where Bill was always a team ringer because he reliably knew more answers than anyone else.

Bill was a member of the Association of Academic Health Centers, Hospital Financial Management Association, American Bar Association, Future Memphis, Memphis Chamber of Commerce, Memphis Rotary Club, Trezvant Episcopal Home Board of Directors, and Calvary Episcopal Church.

Bill is survived by his wife, Ann Linder Rice of Memphis, TN; sister, Katherine Jean Gould Duls; niece, Carty Nugent and nephew Chuck Duls all of Orlando, FL.

Children: Les and Jill Linder (daughter in law) Western Springs, IL, and Laura Linder Fortenberry and Keith Fortenberry (son in law) of Memphis, TN.

Grandchildren: Joe and Ellie Linder, Jack and Will Fortenberry

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Published by The Daily Memphian from Feb. 17 to Feb. 18, 2025.