William Sparks Price

The life of William Sparks Price began on October 4, 1927 in Oak Park, IL. The son of Elbridge & Marjorie Price and younger brother to Elbridge (Laurie), he grew up in the Illinois area. Bill served in the Navy during World War II on board the USS LSM 484 and again on the USS Bryce Canyon in the Korean War. He graduated from Principia College, then attended graduate school at the University of Michigan where he met the love of his life, Kathryn June Anderson. They were married on September 17, 1955 and lived in Michigan where Bill was a life insurance agent for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.

In the late 1960s, Bill and June moved to Dallas. They were unable to have children of their own and applied to adopt a baby from a local adoption agency. In the fall of 1969, they learned of three children, ages 5, 9 and 10, siblings whose parents had died and were to be placed for adoption. Without even seeing these kids, they knew their destiny was to become their parents. Bill and June adopted their three children – Doug, Liz and Connie - on December 20, 1969. Though Bill and June were both raised in the Christian faith – Bill as a Christian Scientist and June as a Lutheran – when they learned that their children were Jewish, they decided to raise them in the Jewish faith. The three kids were enrolled in Akiba Academy, a Hebrew day school in Dallas, until 1973 when the family moved to Atlanta so the Price children could continue their Jewish learning at Yeshiva High School and Hebrew Academy. Bill and June then took in the children’s’ paternal grandmother, Ethel Goldat, when she was no longer able to take care of herself in New York. She lived in Atlanta until her death. Throughout his life, Bill was never the conformist. He always had his own unique way of doing things. His love of family, pets, books, history, and music would often invoke him to comment that his life was "perfect and improving". Bill was often described as bigger than life, a force of nature. His heart was giving and kind, his sense of humor was offbeat but charming and he welcomed all into his home and his life.

Bill died peacefully in Atlanta, Georgia on September 15, 2015 and is survived by his wife, June, his children Doug (Robin) Price , Liz (Rick Blumen) Price and Connie (Bill) Gicking and his two grandchildren, Lindsay and Daniel.

Contributions may be made in his memory to: Alzheimer's Association, act.alz.org.