In memory of: Charlie “C.C.” Rice Jr. October 05, 1947 – November 12, 2013 by Capt. Larry Blue > I’d like to tell you about a very good friend of mine and a person that once you met him was a friend forever; Charles Carl Rice Jr. He was a likable sort of fellow, quick to offer you his hand and his ear to bend. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for a friend, even if he didn’t know you. Everyone was Charlie’s friend with no exception. Charlie, (C.C. to his friends) was a native of Treasure Island, a founding student at Seminole High School, and one of the elite Tampa Bay “Rough Riders” 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment 1. > C.C. was educated locally and also in the world of experience. He was able to speak in several languages fluently; including a couple dialects of Spanish. He was a plain man, could talk to Presidents, Governors and common sailors with equal fervor and often did! A fantastic chef in his own right, he was appreciated for his abilities behind a grill or serving key-note dishes. He was a skilled fisherman, restaurateur and seafood purveyor. > C.C.’s dad; Charlie Sr., with his wife Agnes founded Kingfish Enterprises back in 1945. They were the owners of a local favorite and nationally famous; Kingfish Restaurant here in Treasure Island. Charlie Sr. also brought one of the first fishing head boats to the area, some may remember El Capitan and the Kingfish that hailed from the docks where Gators on the Pass now stands. The Rice family had deep roots in Treasure Island and a long storied history in the area. > C.C. was an adventurer; as a very young man in the 1960’s he was sent on a mission by his father; Charlie Sr., to find virgin shrimp grounds far from the coast of the United States and Florida. An area known as “The Miskito Coast” was his destination. C.C. left Treasure Island in charge of a convoy of 3 shrimp boats. He headed cross the Gulf of Mexico and through the Straits of Florida. The voyage continued between Cuba and Yucatan into the Caribbean Sea, and all the way to the shores off the jungles of Honduras. > His travels even took him to the island of Curacao off of Venezuela. And he did some of this before he was even out of high school. A young man alone on the sea, with the fate of much older men in his hands. This was Charlie Rice… breaking new ground and learning about life at an early age, some might say he was thrust into it head first. > Can you envision coming back to high school after a summer vacation and asking a class mate; “What did you do this summer?” only to hear: “Well, I took a shrimp boat down to South America. How about you?” Many strained their ear to hear the tales that C.C. came home with and they were retold many times, over the course of years. I assure you that some might not believe these stories, but I can attest to the validity of them all. > This was a man that knew no bounds; he wanted to do what many only dreamed of. Through the years he wore many hats, but he was always himself while wearing each one. Charlie loved airplanes. He always said of flight that he felt free when flying. He also said; “I never wrecked one, but I’ve not walked away from every landing.” > C.C. used to tell me of the time when he and his brother-in-law Sam Masano Sr. were flying a small plane over the mountains of Honduras near Nicaragua. They were searching for places to set-up shrimp farms. Something happened to the plane and it fell from the sky. They landed high in the hilly mountainside; - - but “crashed” might be a better word for it. Sam suffered several broken body parts and was unable to get out of the wreckage. C.C. was not able to walk away from the plane himself either. Many miles away from civilization, their fate fell to C.C. to get help, or perhaps perish in their predicament. > C.C. grabbed an aviator’s life vest and cautiously slipped out of the plane hoping to find aid. He was suffering from the crash and was in a state of shock unaware of his own condition. > In the jungle there is not a phone booth to call from, nor many civilized men nearby to yell to. Not to mention the wild animals and big cats known to be there; there was a strong concern for their safety and well-being. With a damaged body suffering from serious injury, bruises, busted ribs, shoulder and with much difficulty to walk; C.C. slid down the side of the mountainous hill to the river below. He had to leave his brother-in-law Sam in the wrecked plane alone. > Unable to go any further, he blew into the rubber life vest and hoped it held air as he gently plunged into the current of the river. Along with his mangled body Charlie might have been suffering a concussion as he kept falling asleep without control while floating down the river. Unfortunately, the vest did in fact have a hole in it and C.C. kept sinking below the surface intermittently. The shock of water on his face would “wake” him and he would continuously have to blow the vest back up; a task he said was hard to do with the many injuries he suffered in the crash. > Eventually a native Indian fishing along the river in his dugout canoe found C.C. bobbing downstream. Speaking in the local Miskito language C.C. asked the native to take him to the dock that they established near the coast. Many hours later he was brought to the camp site. C.C.’s brother Sid and his father Charlie Sr. organized a rescue party and Sam was finally brought to safety. > There are so many stories that Charlie would tell me over the years, and every one was just as interesting as the last. If space allowed I would tell more, there is so much to share of my friends’ life. > That was C.C. the explorer and adventurer. But C.C. was also a son, a brother, uncle, cousin, father and devoted loving husband, even grandfather; as well as friend to many more. He leaves behind a loving family and a multitude of friends that will never be able to replace C.C., for his heart was true. His love for life and the value he placed on everyone around him was not something I will ever forget about this man. I hope that if you knew C.C. you will think kindly of him now and then. If you are just now finding out who C.C. was.. Remember, your life is an adventure!… live it full as he did. ~ Charlie, Rest In Peace. With much respect - forever your friend, Captain Larry Blue . . Seminole High School I’d like to share with you a little known local fact: As I indicated - C.C. Rice loved airplanes. At 16 he was a licensed pilot and a passionate aviator. He was also the person that gave Seminole High School their mascot emblem: “Warhawk”. Based on C.C.’s love for avionics, he requested that the name be taken as their mascot. Though C.C. wanted the “Warhawk” to be characterized by that of the famous war plane, the name stuck but the emblem figure was changed to a fighting bird. It still is even to this day, thanks to C.C. Rice.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 14:55:34 +0000
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