Robert R. Price

Robert Ray Price, 95, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away in his home from a heart attack on Sunday, August 6, 2023. Bob was born on March 30, 1928, to Sibert and Genevieve (née Dykes) Price of Osyka, Mississippi.

After earning a degree as Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Mississippi in 1950, Bob launched a career as pharmacist at Tigertown Pharmacy just off the LSU campus. A few years later he opened his own pharmacy, Highland Pharmacy, which served the LSU community well for decades. Customers trusted him and the personal service he offered. Later he used his business to infuse the same, hearty work ethic into his children. Delivering prescriptions to customers became their unquestioned job. But the ice cream box at his pharmacy was, hands down, a child’s favorite destination, supplying popsicles and Nutty Buddies for generations of children, including his grands.

While studying at Ole Miss, Bob met the love of his life through his involvement with Baptist Student Union. He never wavered in his devotion to Jean Davis Allen, whom he married in 1950. They were soon joined by their three children: Richard, David, and Debbie. Theirs became a multi-generational home when his own mother, “Mama Gen”, moved in with them after his father’s death.

Anyone who knew Bob understood that his Fall weekends were spent at the deer lease. Summers were time to prepare the lease, creating an alluring place for deer to flourish. And during summer months his grandchildren experienced the thrill of riding with him at the lease on his four wheeler. It was a celebration each year if there was another deer rack to mount; this meant venison and deer sausage soon would be in the freezer. One year his family even experienced a particularly gamey version of ham from a wild hog he brought home from the lease.

Once an Ole Miss student, always an Ole Miss fan. Bob was a diehard fan for anything related to Ole Miss, particularly sports. He could recite, with amazing clarity, statistics for games played decades ago. LSU was a close second in his allegiance, falling behind only if playing against Ole Miss. Earlier in the summer, at age 95, he was still cheering on his adopted LSU Tigers to victory in the College World Series.

Few knew, though, that he was an artist. A little known fact was that he knitted a sweater for himself once or that he was adept at creating lovely stained glass. His most appreciated creations, though, were those that graced the dinner table. A superb cook, everyone in the family now makes his famous carrot soufflé for holiday dinners. And the aroma of bread baking would greet us, often timed to match our arrival. “Go cut yourself a piece from a new bread recipe I tried. . .make sure to spread some butter on it. Let me know if you like it.” He leaves behind a folder stuffed with recipes collected over the years.

Yet perhaps his greatest legacy was that of caregiver. His family’s needs have always been his top priority. He and his wife cared for and tended to his own mother in their home until her death at 99. Then he tenderly cared for his wife Jean until hers.

Bob was pre-deceased by his parents Sibert and Genevieve Price, wife Jean Allen Price, granddaughter Sarah Padgett Price, great-granddaughters Elizabeth Munroe Price and Hazel Jean Schmidt. Survivors include son Richard Allen Price ( Anne Whittemore Price), son David Stuart Price (Patricia Hopkins-Price), daughter Deborah Lynn Dyess (Scott Dyess), brother, Nelson Lynn Price of Marietta, GA; seven grandchildren: Mary Beth Price, Rebecca Price Fletcher, Jonathan Davis Price, Julia Crawford Ortiz, Genevieve Holland Marrette Schmidt, Mattie Crawford Dyess, and Lacey Ellen Dyess, 13 great grandchildren: Ali Price Kessler, Micah Price, Abigail Price, Caleb Kessler, Jaxon Fletcher, Liam Fletcher, Beckett Fletcher, Griffin Fletcher, Isabel Wilson, Charlotte Price, Benjamin Price, Emersyn Schmidt, Adilynn Shockley.

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 11, 2023 at University Baptist Church, 5775 Highland Road, Baton Rouge. Burial will follow at Osyka Cemetery, Osyka, Mississippi at 2:00 p.m. Visitation will be Thursday, August 10, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government Street in Baton Rouge.