E.T. “Tom” Rice was born in November 29, 1899 in Colville, Washington. He started working for printing presses at the age of twelve. He stopped when he entered the Army during World War I. Upon his return, he spent the 1920s in Seattle, attending the University of Washington. Rice was a founding member of the Washington Athletic Club. In 1932, Rice and his wife, LaRue C. Dawson, moved to Walla Walla, Washington, where Rice began working as a manager of the commercial printing department at the Union-Bulletin, a local newspaper. Rice then purchased the Inland Printing Company which he ran until 1969. Rice was a photography hobbyist and was known for taking pictures of people in Walla Walla and hanging them in his office. In Walla Walla, Rice was involved in the Junior Chamber of Commerce, Wagon Wheelers, Rotary Club, Blue Mountain Ski Club, American Legion, and Active Club. E.T. Rice died April 3, 1987, and was survived by LaRue C. Dawson, and two sons, Tom and James Rice.