Kenneth Grice

Kenneth Edward Grice April 6, 1929 - December 26, 2013 When, to-night, I enter Christ's fair courts, and, lowly bowed, Sweep with doffed casque the heavens' threshold blue, One thing is left, that, void of stain or smutch, I bear away despite you.... My panache. "Cyrano de Bergerac", Act V, Scene vi Rev. Kenneth E. Grice, was born on April 6, 1929 in Seaman, Ohio. His parents (the late Mary Yundt Grice and Dr. Rev. E. Everett Grice) were missionaries to Egypt, so Ken and his brothers (the late John Grice, and Dr. Paul Grice - Muskogee) went to Egypt. He spent 11 of his first 13 years in Egypt, until Field Marshall Rommel's advances forced them to relocate back to the States (Mulberry, IN). In high school, Ken developed a keen interest in the theatre. He attended Muskingum College, where he studied under Charles and Ferne Layton (among others), receiving a B.A. in Theatre, and a second one in English Literature, in 1951. His crowning achievement was his one-man performance from "Cyrano de Bergerac", which he would sometimes reprise over the next 40 years. He next attended Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary where he received his Masters of Divinity and ordination as a Presbyterian minister. While interning at a church in Dayton, Ohio, he met his future wife, Betty. They were married in 1955 and would later have and raise four sons together. One of his proudest achievements came in 1957, when he was selected to direct the "1958 Centennial Pageant for the United Presbyterian Church". From 1955 to 1968, he served two full-time Pittsburgh-area pastorates (Grove City and McKeesport). In 1968, to better support his family, he left the full-time ministry and started a career in computer programming, while continuing to pastor small churches in the Pittsburgh area, and later Petersburg (VA) and Birmingham (AL). Ken spent the last 7 years of his life in Tulsa, passing from this life on December 26, 2013. During his time in Tulsa, he enjoyed visits with many of his family members and the devotion and care of his son, Tim. He is survived by his four sons (Michael - Virginia; Tim - Oklahoma; Mark and Ted - Pennsylvania); their wives; 14 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren? as well as the spiritual children born from his life as a pastor, which cannot be accurately measured. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on December 30, 2013 at Southwood Chapel (91st and Harvard, Tulsa, OK), with light reception following. Interment will be at Fairhaven Cemetery (Mulberry, IN) on January 2, 2014. Memorial donations may be made to New Wilmington Mission Conference (nwmcmission.org). My Heart Is Resting, O My God Words: Anna Laetitia Waring My heart is resting, O my God, My heart is in Thy care; I hear the voice of joy and health Resounding everywhere. "Thou art my portion, saith my soul," Ten thousand voices say, And the music of their glad Amen Will never die away. -- "Hymn 406" (One of Ken's many favorites