Dr. Samuel A. Rice

Samuel A. Rice, M.D.

Samuel A. Rice, 74, of Lancaster, PA died on Tuesday, April 7th, 2020 at Hospice & Community

Care, Mount Joy after a 14-year battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare form

of Parkinson’s disease. Born on 9/26/45 in Carlisle, PA to the late Samuel M. and Alice

(Stambaugh) Rice. He was the loving husband of Linda (Duncan) Rice for nearly 52 years.

Sam grew-up in New Bloomfield, Perry County, graduating from Perry Joint High School in

1963. He went on to major in Biology at Gettysburg College, graduating in 1967. He was a

member of the first graduating class of the Milton S. Hershey College of Medicine in 1971. Dr.

Rice completed two years of his Internal Medicine Residency at Albany Medical Center in

Albany, NY, followed by two years of alternate military service working in a federally funded

government health program in rural, coastal, SC. He completed his Internal Medicine

Residency at The Medical University of South Carolina in 1976 and achieved board certification

from the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Sam met Linda, the love of his life, during his high school years. They dated throughout college

and married while Sam was in medical school on June 22,1968. They welcomed two children,

Nathaniel and Elizabeth, during their early years of marriage and moved from Charlestown, SC

to Lancaster in 1976 when Sam would reconnect with former medical school classmate, Larry

Bieber, to join him in private practice. This marked the beginning of what would become

General Internal Medicine of Lancaster.

During his 37-year career Dr. Rice expanded his medical knowledge to become certified in

Addiction Medicine by the American Society of Addiction Medicine. He was a pioneer in

leading the fight against opioid addiction by becoming one of the first providers of Suboxone in

Lancaster County. He served as the Medical Director of White Deer Run and also served

patients at the Lancaster Freedom Center. Dr. Rice served on numerous medical staff

committees at the former St. Joseph Hospital including Chairman of the Department of Internal

Medicine and President of the Medical Staff. He practiced medicine until the tendrils of PSP

became more pronounced, retiring in 2013. Dr. Rice was a caring, compassionate physician

who was loved and respected by his patients and colleagues.

Sam was a long-time member of Highland Presbyterian Church where he served as Elder,

Chairman of the Spiritual Life Committee, and served on the Peace and Justice Committee.

Sam was a proud member of First Presbyterian Church in Lancaster where he served on the

Healing Prayer Team. He was a deeply spiritual person who believed in the power of healing

prayer and continued to pray for others through assistive technology on his I-pad even after

PSP compromised his ability to communicate clearly.

Sam’s love of nature fueled a passion for all living things and inspired him to become an Eagle

Scout. He enjoyed fishing, skiing on snow and water, cooking, fine dining and travel. He

enjoyed traveling with family and friends to locations around the world including Nepal, New

Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, England, Tanzania, Costa Rica, and the Galapagos

Islands. Sam had a true love of his family and enjoyed his children and grandchildren

tremendously; especially watching his grandsons’ baseball games and swim meets.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his two children, Nathaniel (Jessica), Summit, WI,

Elizabeth (Chris) Bejgrowicz, Lancaster, and his two grandsons, Jackson and Andrew, as well

as a brother, Matt (Kirin), Gig Harbor, WA.

A Celebration of his Life will be held at a later date at the convenience of the family. Memorial

Contributions in his memory may be made to: Penn State Health, University

Development, PO BOX 852, Hershey, PA 17033. On memo line please indicate Samuel A. Rice, M.D. -PSP Dr. Huang.