WSAB obit for Bill Rice

Bill Rice spent 43 years behind the microphone in Seattle informing Western Washington residents with his precise, conversational newscasts on a variety of formats. He’s best known to listeners from the 18 years he spent as News Anchor/News Director at Sports Radio 950 KJR, KUBE 93 and 95.7 KJR-FM and another 11 years at KOMO News 1000 and 570 KVI, where he concluded his career in 2013.
“I remember Bill mentoring me and encouraging me early in my career and remember marveling at his ability to be so concise and so smooth on-the-air, while off the air he was the most down to earth, kind person,” said Gregg Hersholt, who recently retired after a distinguished 50 year career in radio news. “I was fortunate enough to work with Bill years later at KOMO Radio. It was so joyful to spend time with him in the newsroom. How many other people are saying the same things right now? We enjoyed lunch regularly, had great respect for him, and he was the kindest soul we knew in the radio business. I loved the guy.”
Rice’s career spanned fifty years which began in Southern California, where he was born and raised. Bill launched his radio journey at KYMS-AM Santa Ana, CA then moved to KNOB-FM East Los Angeles, CA; KNAC-FM Long Beach, CA; and KWIZ-AM Santa Ana, CA before relocating to Seattle in the Fall of 1970 to join KUUU-AM Seattle. After three years as a television news reporter for KCPQ-TV (Tacoma-Seattle) he spent 8 years as News Director of Golden West’s KVI-AM and KVI-FM (later KPLZ-FM) prior to his move to KJR.
Bill’s life wasn’t limited to broadcasting. He was a baseball historian and served as a public address announcer for the Seattle Mariners at the Kingdome from 1980-1987.
He was an accomplished private pilot with over 3,000 hours of flight time. Rice also served as a flight instructor for 15 years, specializing in instrument instruction. He trained hundreds of pilots in the Pacific Northwest during his years as flight instructor and collected another 1,000 hours of instruction time. In retirement he continued to share his passion for aviation as a docent at The Museum of Flight in Seattle.
While a teenager, Bill was a member of The Young Americans – a Los Angeles based youth show choir comprised of high school and college students – which performed around the United States and on network television with stars like Danny Thomas, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Andy Williams. During his tenure with The Young Americans from 1966 to 1968 he also performed on the 39th Annual Academy Awards telecast. He also appeared on The Young Americans 1967 record album “While We’re Young.”
A graduate of Orange High School, Bill earned a degree in journalism from California State University-Fullerton.
He is survived by his partner of 45 years, Elaine Kitamura of Seattle, and countless friends in and out of the broadcasting industry. A memorial service is being planned for December.