Buddy Lee Rice, 62, of Macy, passed away at 4:19 P.M., Saturday, January 13, 2024 at Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne. He was born in Peru, on July 23, 1961, the son of Sharlot Lee “Bob” and Sue Ellen (Poulson) Rice. Buddy married Allison Hilgeman on March 29, 1980 and she survives. Buddy was a 1979 graduate of Peru High School and was an electrician for Rochester Metal Products and then for Pike Lumber in Akron. He loved hiking, fishing and hunting, especially hunting mushrooms. Buddy enjoyed spending time with family and had many fond memories around the dinner table. Surviving in addition to his wife, Allison, are his children Joshua Rice, Brody Rice, Jenna (Easton) West and Samuel (Destiny) Rice; grandchildren Sophia, Murphy and Kerrigan and a sister Rhonda (Ron) Steg. A service celebrating the life of Buddy Lee Rice will be held at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, January 18, 2024 at the Eikenberry-Eddy Funeral Home, 84 West Main St., Peru with Pastor Randy Smoot officiating. Burial will follow in Bond Cemetery. Family and friends will gather from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M., Wednesday January 17, 2024 at the Eikenberry-Eddy Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you plant a tree in Buddy’s memory.