Bobby Ellon Price Sr.

GILBERT – Funeral services for Bobby E. Price, Sr., 89, of Gilbert will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, January 4, 2018 at Greene Street United Methodist Church in Columbia. A private interment will be held at Southland Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, January 3, 2018 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, Lexington Chapel. Memorials may be made to Greene Street United Methodist Church, 1106 Greene St., Columbia, SC 29201.

Mr. Price was born in West Columbia, SC on May 24, 1928 to the late, Carlyle and Margarite Williams Price and passed away Monday, January 1, 2018. He was a member of Greene Street United Methodist Church where he taught Sunday School for over 50 years. His passion was baseball and he was also an avid hunter and outdoorsman.

Bobby graduated from Brookland-Cayce High School in 1947. In 1950, Bobby was living his dream, playing minor league baseball in North Carolina, shortly after he began living a nightmare.

He was a Sergeant in the US Army for the seventh Calvary Regiment, also known for Custer’s Last Stand. Price was 23 years old at the time, leading a platoon of approximately 40 men up a ridge in Korea that would later be named Bloody Baldy. The regiment charged up the hill five times over a period of two days before they were finally able to take control of the hill. Half of Price’s men were either killed or wounded. A newspaper called the battle, “a hand to hand grenade charge”. Few remember it today.

“I was in Korea for a year and 29 days freezing, crying, praying and scared to death. I was just trying to stay alive and keep my men alive”

Once he returned to the states, he was promoted to 1st Sergeant. Upon his arrival, he was given 30 days furlough and sent back to California, where he played baseball for the US Army. After being released from active duty, he was required to serve 5 additional years in the Reserves. Price was honorably discharged from the US Army on December 29, 1957. He returned to West Columbia and went to work as a lineman for SCANA Corporation and retired after 37 years with the company. He was a Mason and a member of Sinclair Masonic Lodge in Cayce.

Bobby Price resided with his wife, Flora on Lake Murray. They are blessed with two children, four wonderful grandchildren and an amazing great-grandson.

Price was an eight-time Letterman in various sports, All-State Baseball Team-1946, most Athletic Superlative -1946, American Legion Baseball-1945-1946-1947, Western Carolina League All Star Team- 1949, US Army Baseball Team (Camp Roberts, CVA)-1952, Brookland-Cayce High School Hall of Fame Inductee on October 3, 1998. Price’s Military Honors consist of, Combat Infantry Badge 1st Award, Korean Service Medal with Four Bronze Services Stars, Korean Presidential Medal, Republic of Korean War Service Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Japan Clasp, Good Conduct Medal and United Nations Service Medal.

He is survived by his loving wife Flora Watson Price of Gilbert; daughter, Donna P. West (Ervin) of Gilbert; son, Bobby E. Price, Jr. (Cathy) of West Columbia; grandchildren, Lyndsey and Stuart West, Kimberly Wadford (Brannon), Courtney Walker (Jonathan) and great-grandson, Matthew Peyton Walker. He was predeceased by his brother Ellis Price and sister McCoy Kinkle.