Ron Rice, a high school chemistry teacher who had been trained to explore for oil, but who instead made a fortune by crafting coconut-laden suntan lotion in a 20-gallon garbage can in his garage and branding it Hawaiian Tropic, died on May 19 in Daytona Beach, Fla. He died at 81.
His family announced his death on Facebook. No cause was given.
Mr. Rice became enamored with Florida's ocean shores while on a family vacation in the 1940s. After visiting Hawaii, he was inspired to take on Coppertone, a leading brand of suntan lotion, which promised naturally pale sunbathers like himself that they would tan, not burn, if they slathered themselves with the product.
After graduating from college in 1964, he moved to Florida, teaching for eight years and working as a football coach and lifeguard, positions that were well served by his 6-foot-3 height.
On the side, he blended a variety of ingredients, including coconut oil, exotic fruits, aloe, kukui, mineral oil and cocoa butter, until they coalesced into a lotion that a few 11-year-olds he enlisted from the neighborhood poured into bottles labeled Hawaiian Tropic and sold. Coconuts were not native to Hawaii and were probably originally cultivated on islands in Southeast Asia, but the name Tropic Tan was already copyrighted.
After years of promotion through beauty contests, Donald J. Trump met his second wife, who was a contestant in a Hawaiian Tropic beauty contest.
Mr. Rice sold it for $83 million.
He once said that Suntan is sex. Sex and beauty.
Ronald Joseph Rice was born in Ashville, North Carolina.
The family lived outdoors. Ron and his siblings used to sell apples, cider, honey, grapes and Christmas wreath at their roadside stand to supplement their father's income as a civil engineer.
He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he was studying to explore for oil and uranium, and to be a teacher.
I used to make $4,300 a year as a teacher. He told a TV interviewer that he did that for eight years. I could go back to that if I had to, but I'm not saying I want to go back.
He said of his lifestyle, lubricated with Hawaiian Tropic, and a lot of extra toys involved, that it was fun.
Information on survivors was not immediately available.
Mr. Rice's 12,000 square foot home in Ormond Beach is close to the lifeguard stand where he used to work and has a disco and outdoor pool. He lent a car to Burt Reynolds for the film "The Cannonball Run".
Mr. Rice placed a garbage can in his living room that he used to perfect the formula for Hawaiian Tropic. He had it silver plated.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
