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Delbert Rice
BornJanuary 24, 1928
DiedMay 8, 2014
NationalityAmerican

Arthur Delbert Rice, Jr. (January 24, 1928 - May 8, 2014) was an American missionary, anthropologist, engineer, and environmental activist based in the Philippines. He is best known for his environmental and human rights advocacy work with the Ikalahan indigenous community in Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines.[1]

Rice co-founded the Philippine Association for Intercultural Development and the Kalahan Educational Foundation in Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, and formerly served as chair of the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development.[2]

Biography

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Early life and education

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Born January 24, 1928 in Corvallis, Oregon, Delbert was the first child of Arthur Delbert Rice, Sr. and Linne Opal Shipley. His parents come from a German Evangelical Lutheran background. Rice is a ninth generation descendant of German theologian Anthony Jacob Henckel.[3]

Rice and his family moved to San Diego, California in 1940 after his father accepted a new job handling supplies for the United States Navy. During World War II, the Rice family again moved to Liberty Lake, Washington after his father was reassigned to the Navy Supply Depot (now Industrial Park) in Spokane Valley. Rice graduated from Central Valley High School in absentia after enlisting for the United States Coast Guard at age 17.[3]

In 1946, Rice went to Oregon State College where he majored in electrical engineering. While in college, Rice joined the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship in his first year which inspired him to pursue a Bachelor of Divinity degree and serve as an engineer and missionary in China.[3]

After graduating as an electrical engineer in 1950, Rice married fellow student Esther Rhoda Bernham, the daughter of Christian missionaries in China who were killed during the war in 1940. Rice then joined the Western Evangelical Seminary to work on his divinity degree, while Esther worked as an office clerk and high school teacher to support themselves. Rice graduated from the seminary in 1955, and accepted a call to work as a missionary in the Philippines. By then Esther had already given birth to their first son Harold in 1953 and their second son Alfred in 1955.[3]

Move to the Philippines

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Delbert, Esther and their two children boarded a ship on Seattle bound for Manila on March 16, 1956. While on the ship, Rice was informed that he will be working with the United Church of Christ in the Philippines where he will be assigned to Laoag, the capital of Ilocos Norte.[3]

Legacy

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An earthworm species discovered in the Philippines, Archipheretima ricei, was named after Rice in 2009.[4][5]

In September 2014, Rice posthumously received the Parangal Lingkod Sambayanan (Public Service Award) from the Ateneo de Manila University.[6][7]

References

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  1. ^ "Environmentalist Pastor Delbert Rice passes away". GMA News Online. May 13, 2014. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  2. ^ Esmaquel, Paterno. "Pastor: Mining is no evil, but please spare Palawan". GMA News Online. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  3. ^ a b c d e Lee, Eun Joo (March 2014). Arthur Delbert Rice, Jr. : pursuit of shalom : encompassing care of creation in mission in the Philippines. OCLC 890200260.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  4. ^ "ITIS - Report: Archipheretima ricei". www.itis.gov. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  5. ^ "In Memoriam Rev. Delbert Arthur Rice". World Agroforestry | Transforming Lives and Landscapes with Trees. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  6. ^ Mindanews (2014-09-17). "3 of 6 Ateneo de Manila awardees are Mindanawons". MindaNews. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  7. ^ "6 awardees lauded during the Special Academic Convocation". The GUIDON. 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2023-04-13.