‘Big-hearted’ Rice, LGBTQ leader in Mansfield, dies at 44
MANSFIELD – Todd Rice, former president of the Mansfield Gay Pride Association, has died. He was 44.
Police are investigating the cause of death. An autopsy is being conducted.
Rice served as president of the nonprofit, which organizes the annual pride parade and festival, from 2017 to Dec. 2020.
He then began working for the Richland Outreach Center, who described him in a Facebook post as a fun, inspiring man with a kind soul.
In the post, the Richland Outreach Center said one of Rice’s goals for the organization was to hold a children’s health fair and pledged to make that happen in his honor.
Kelli Quail succeeded Rice as president of the Mansfield Gay Pride Association.
“He was an outgoing, gregarious, big-hearted wonderful man who cared deeply for everyone, especially for the LGBTQ community,” Quail said in an interview. “He truly believed in equality for everyone, that we all should be equal in the eyes of the law and government, that there should be no discrimination.”
Quail, a transgender woman, first met Rice in 2018 when she began volunteering for the association.
They clicked right away and became close friends.
Quail fondly remembers when Rice came dressed as Marie Antoinette for a Mardi Gras fundraiser.
“He could light up a building with his smile,” Quail said. “He was the light of any event.”
Rice, a Michigan native, moved to Mansfield in 2015.
Before accepting a position with the Richland Outreach Center, Rice provided technical support for Huntington Bank, commuting most weekdays to Columbus.
“He chose Mansfield as his home because he wanted to be a part of this community and to help our community,” Quail said.
Aurelio Diaz came to know Rice while running for Mansfield City Council in 2019.
As president of Mansfield Gay Pride, Diaz said Rice faced criticism from the area’s straight and LGBTQ communities.
“Some people felt that he wasn’t taking chances or taking too many chances,” Diaz said.
Rice also faced pushback from people who felt the nonprofit should be led by a native Mansfielder, Diaz said.
But Diaz believes Rice left the association better than he found it.
“I mean no disrespect to the founders, but think he made it a lot more impactful and visible,” Diaz said. “It became more respected, it included more businesses and gained more business and organizational support than it ever did.”
Diaz said Rice expanded the association’s mission by starting monthly support groups.
He also reached out to local groups that some felt weren’t accepting of the LGBTQ community, according to Diaz.
“He knew that in order for the LGBTQ community to grow and get support, he had to open people’s eyes,” Diaz said.
Mansfield Division of Police Capt.
Shari Robertson worked with Rice on the annual pride parade and festival.
“I loved his energy and he was just a good guy,” Robertson said.
Quail described Rice as a “take charge” type of guy.
“Whatever situation you put him in, he was always going to insist that it be the absolute best,” she said. “He would never settle for second best. Whatever we did, it had to be the best and he never backed off of those standards. He demanded it, and that’s what made us so successful.”
Rice was guilty of taking on too many responsibilities from time to time, Quail added.
“The man always had an endless amount of energy,” Quail said. “You looked at him and you were like, ‘Man, where do you get this from?’ He was just energized by the work. He loved what he did and it energized him.”
This year’s annual pride parade and festival is scheduled for Aug. 7. Last year’s festivities were downsized to discussion panels due to the pandemic. Quail says she has big shoes to fill. “I’ll never be as good as him, but I’m trying,” she said.