Edward Duke Trice, Jr.

Edward Duke Trice, Jr.

March 4, 1947 – February 27, 2026

Edward Duke Trice, Jr., age 78, passed away peacefully on February 27, 2026, in Georgetown, Texas.  He was born on March 4, 1947, in Texarkana, Arkansas.   

Ed lived his early life in Texarkana with a brief family detour to Fayetteville, Arkansas.  His childhood summers were filled with carefree days, hunting for treasures, building treehouses, and swimming with friends—usually leaving home after breakfast on his bike and returning home only because dinner was ready.  After graduating from Arkansas High School in Texarkana, he attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and later completed his bachelor’s degree in business and economics at Southern State College in Magnolia. It was there that he met Judy Skinner, the woman who would become his wife.  Ed made a mark at SSC by demonstrating a trait he would carry through his life: a determination to improve people’s lives.  One such effort occurred when he was president of the student senate.  He initiated and successfully accomplished bringing Greek life to SSC, an effort he undertook to encourage students to remain on campus on weekends, strengthening connections to their college community and making those years more meaningful. 

Ed and Judy began their new life in Little Rock, Arkansas, where Ed embarked on a 37-year career in retail management with J. C. Penney.  Throughout his career, Ed accepted a variety of assignments that moved his family from Arkansas to Texas to Oklahoma and back to Texas.  As a store manager, he enjoyed mentoring young associates and encouraging their rise in the company.  While in Texas, he appreciated being invited to represent JCP on the Texas Retailers Association executive committee, serving at one point as chair.  He was honored to be part of the board of directors for the Marland Mansion Foundation while working in Ponca City.   

Wherever Ed’s career took him, he ensured his family was part of a Methodist church, where he actively participated in leadership roles and work/mission projects whenever possible.  Family activities were abundant, with early morning swim meets, sports games, scouting and Indian Guide group events forming the core of their years together.  Ed brought his lifelong love of the Dallas Cowboys with him to adulthood.  While the family couldn’t share that passion, they did find common ground in cheering for the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Houston Oilers, Rockets, and Astros. Family travel to many parts of our country forged lifelong memories.  It was a non-negotiable commitment for the family to attend the annual Homecoming held at the Hunters Chapel Methodist Church near Stuttgart, Arkansas, a tradition rooted in Ed’s family history.  Frequently he would travel several days early to work in the cemetery beside the church.  He and other volunteers would clean the graves and banish the weeds, assuring a gleaming welcome for the attendees of the first-Sunday-in-September celebration.  

After retiring from JC Penney, Ed and Judy enjoyed expanding their travel to new places, often traveling with friends or family.  Ed dabbled in golf, but truth be told, he enjoyed admiring the scenery much more than focusing on getting that little ball in the hole.  He loved to garden, and most days he could be found walking five or six miles a day throughout the neighborhood.  “It’s a wonderful life” and “Gee, I’m a lucky duck” were two of Ed’s favorite observations about his life. 

Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Thelma Campbell Trice and Edward Duke Trice, Sr.   He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Judy; their sons Brian and Jason (Lacey); three grandchildren: Justin, Jack, and Lila; two sisters: Ann Trice Johnson (Weldon) and Margaret Trice; two brothers-in-law: Phil Skinner (Anna Margaret) and Mike Skinner; and a special group of nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

The family will be forever grateful to the dedicated and loving group of caregivers at Georgetown Living who filled Ed’s final seventeen months with love, laughter, and tender care.  Others to whom the family is indebted include the doctors and nurses who provided excellent care along the way, the Tranquility House hospice team, and all those who prayed, visited, or otherwise supported the family.  Special personal thanks to Dr. Stewart, Dr. Williams and PT Garrett, whose personal investments in Ed’s well-being were significant.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2026, beginning at 1:00 at the First United Methodist Church of Georgetown. A reception will follow. 

For those choosing to honor Ed’s life with a memorial, please consider a donation to the Georgetown First United Methodist Church in support of the ZOE project or Camp Sunshine, the Rotary Club of Georgetown, or another charity of personal choice.