WICHITA, KAS. — J.D. Kice, co-owner and engineer at Kice Industries, a manufacturer of pneumatic conveying equipment for the flour milling industry for nearly 70 years, died Jan. 30. He was 71.

J.D. Kice’s brother, Bob Kice, co-owner and vice-president of sales for Kice Industries, said J.D. began working for the company when he was 16 and made many important contributions until his retirement six years ago.

“His expertise was in the engineering and design side of things,” Bob Kice said. “Whether it was designing fans, pumps or whatever, he would help come up with new and special products as well as modifications to existing products.”

After a tour of duty for the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War in the early 1960s, J.D. Kice attended Kansas State University in Manhattan, where he received a degree in milling science.

He rejoined Kice Industries in 1968 and worked on the side of the business that served the flour milling industry, Bob Kice said.

For many years, he worked alongside his younger brothers Bill, Bob and Tom, as well as his father, Russell Kice, who with other members of the family, founded the company in 1945.

“Bill and Tom would usually come up with an idea and they would throw it to J.D. and ask him to make it work, and he did,” Bob Kice said.

J.D. Kice was preceded in death by his father, Russell Kice. He is survived by his wife, Candace; his children, Alex Kice, Greg Kice and Nicole Klassen; brothers Bill Kice, Bob Kice and Tom Kice; sister Marilyn Applequest; and mother Naomi Kice.