Michael Dice Sr., 56, an actor and retired English and drama teacher at Lake Park High School in Roselle, died of heart failure Saturday, Dec. 14 2002, while driving to his matinee performance of "Prairie Lights" at Theatre Building Chicago. Since retiring a year and a half ago after teaching for nearly 30 years, Mr. Dice had recommitted himself to his old love of acting. Mr. Dice, a South Bend, Ind. native, received his bachelor's degree in theater and speech from Illinois State University. He acted throughout college with contemporaries including Michael Gross and Shelley Long and had planned to act professionally, said his son, Michael Dice Jr. When Mr. Dice got a job offer from Lake Park High School, he took it and began directing three plays a year at the school. His students performed sophisticated pieces by Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams as well as Shakespeare classics. In 1980, 1987 and 1992, Lake Park High won the Illinois High School Association's state drama title under Mr. Dice's direction. "He would bring together an extremely diverse array of students," said Wayne Beach, a screenwriter and former student of Mr. Dice's. "You would find yourself in the mix with the stereotypical drama nerd, next to the star athlete, next to the would-be delinquent who lifted a couple of car tires over the weekend. It was an energetic mix." Beach said Mr. Dice's tireless support of his students inspired many to pursue theater and film careers. During this time, Mr. Dice served as union president of the Lake Park Education Association, acted in and directed community theater in Elgin and earned his master's degree in education from National-Louis University. When Mr. Dice retired, he began auditioning for parts in plays, his son said. Mr. Dice played the part of a convicted drug lord in his son's production of "Jenny Died" at the Abbie Hoffman Theatre Festival, was an understudy at Famous Door Theatre and was acting in his first major role since returning in Stage Left's "Prairie Lights." His son said, "He was a natural. I'd hand him a monologue, and he would just start ... and it'd be the best monologue you ever saw in your life." In addition to his son, Mr. Dice is survived by his wife, Kathleen; a daughter, Sara; two brothers, John and Richard; and a sister, Elaine Cowger. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Friday and a funeral service will be held at noon Saturday in Countryside Funeral Home, 950 S. Bartlett Rd., Bartlett

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