John Raymond Dice 1921 – 2022 BRUNSWICK – John Raymond Dice, born Jan. 11, 1921, died on July 31, 2022. John was born and grew up in Ann Arbor, Mich., the son of Lee Raymond Dice and Dora Sibyl Lemon Dice. The family spent summers camping around the American West, trapping mice for John’s father’s genetics research. John had many fascinating stories of the West in the 1930s, when the paving stopped after Chicago. John earned his bachelors and PhD in chemistry from the University of Michigan, and married Peggy in 1944. When he finished his PhD, he was sent to Oak Ridge, Tenn. to work on the atom bomb. After the war, Peggy and John moved to Austin, Texas where John taught chemistry at the University, and Jack and Meg were born. The family moved to Michigan, where John did pharmaceutical research at Parke-Davis, and Elizabeth and Soxna Suzanne were born. John and Peggy took the kids canoeing, camping, sailing and hiking, teaching them about nature at every opportunity. Every summer the family went to Isle au Haut, where John took the kids rowing, hiking and fishing. In 1985, John retired and he and Peggy moved to Brunswick. They started a jazz association, volunteered at the Chocolate Church Center for the Arts and the First Light Camera Club, and traveled in the U.S. and internationally. John was very active in supporting the Isle au Haut store and bringing telephone service to Isle au Haut. After Peggy died in 2005, John provided unfailing support for his granddaughter, Sarah, while she attended Bates College. He rode his tricycle, remained active in his investment club, enjoyed visits from friends and family, and maintained his beautiful garden. During the last year of his life, his children took turns living with John in Brunswick. He retained his intelligence, curiosity and great sense of humor to the end, and died peacefully at home with family. His wife, Margaret “Peggy” Little Dice, predeceased him in 2005. He was predeceased by sisters Elizabeth J. Dice and Dorothy A. D. Foster. John is survived by his four children, John Little Dice of Stonington, Margaret Sibyl Dice (Jim Wheeler) of Hyde Park, Utah, Elizabeth Atwater Dice of Bath, and Soxna Suzanne Frances Dice of Crockett, Calif. He is also survived by grandchild, Sarah L. Dice-Goldberg (Youssef Barhomi) of San Francisco, Calif.; and chosen family Marian Kummer and Mark, Melissa and Nathan Sheiko. Donations in John’s memory may be made to Planned Parenthood, The Nature Conservancy, or the Maine Coast Heritage Trust.

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Obituary: Dianna Swain Baribeau

Next »

Obituary: Janice Mellyn