Recently Dead

John Rice (right), the older twin by five minutes of Greg, died recently of a heart attack at home in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was 53. The town mourned, flags were flown at half staff, guest books were signed. The Rice brothers, at two feet 10 inches arguably the world's shortest twins, were as much "a part of Palm Beach County as the palm trees," wrote a fan.

Born with dwarfism, they were abandoned in the hospital by their mother and later adopted by Pentacostal Christians and raised to think of themselves as "a couple of dimes in a handful of nickels." The boys became door-to-door salesmen in their teens, segueing into the real estate business, selling 50 houses their first year out, and becoming millionaires. Of course, they dabbled in Hollywood, appearing in a couple of TV shows at the beginning of the '80s. Later, they had their own show. But civic involvement was their first love. Everytime there was a meeting at the West Palm Beach town hall, John was there commenting on everything, said his brother. "He'd drag a stool up to the lectern. He threatened many times to run for mayor."

(Photos: top, Scott Wiseman; bottom, courtesy William and Helen Saxon)

Related entries:

1. Recently Dead: Joyce "Dottie" Rambo, gospel singer and songwriter...
2. Recently Dead: Glendale, California, ice cream shop proprietor, Irvine...
3. Recently Dead: Cartoonist Ted Key, whose "Hazel" comic strip...
4. Recently Dead: Music publisher Gaetano Oteri, the father of...
5. Recently Dead: Deborah Jeane Palfrey, the woman convicted two...