Mildred Price

Mildred Louise Price was born on September 18, 1931, outside of Birmingham, Alabama. She attended elementary school in Birmingham in the 1930s and excelled in her studies. At age 12, however, Mildred made the momentous decision to leave Birmingham to go live with her mother’s cousin in Kentucky so that she could go to high school. Driven by her desire to obtain an education, Mildred saved her money from working as a domestic, and then traveled by bus by herself to live in Wheelwright, Kentucky. There, she was adopted by her mother’s cousin, Lillian Mae Cooley and William Woods Cooley, who raised her with their child, Vera Mae.

Mildred graduated from high school in Wheelwright and went on to attend West Virginia State College. There, she was active in campus life and became a member of the Nu Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority on December 16, 1950. She graduated from West Virginia State with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1953.

While in college, Mildred met the love of her life, David H. Price. David courted and married Mildred on December 23, 1955. They remained married and deeply in love for 56 years, until David passed away on August 14, 2012.

Mildred taught young children in the public schools of Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio for 35 years. She taught first through third grades and started thousands of children on their life’s journey with a solid foundation of reading, writing and arithmetic. She shared her love of learning with her own children. She gave birth to Pamela in September 1956 and her youngest child, Tonsa, in August 1957. Mildred was a devoted mother and wife who exemplified kindness to everyone she met in life. Mildred and Dave Price formed the greatest partnership in life, and were extremely successful in their civic engagement, professional careers, and business affairs.

Mildred, along with David, was a lifetime member of the NAACP. Mildred loved and trusted the Lord and prayed to him every day of her long life. She was a longtime stewardess and active member of Allen Temple A.M.E. Church in Cincinnati. Mildred demonstrated her lifelong faith in God as a generous supporter and often leader of many church activities and initiatives. In 2000, she and David were honored for their generosity by the American Red Cross as Voices of Giving Honorees.

Mildred departed this life on May 3, 2024, at age 92 following a long illness with Alzheimer’s disease. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, David, and all his brothers and sisters (William, Hazel, Eleanore, Mary, Anna, and Wilhelmina), and her foster sister, Vera Mae. She leaves to cherish her sweet memory her two girls, Pamela Yvette Price of Oakland, California and her life partner, Antwon Cloird of Richmond, California, and Tonsa Elaine Price-Edwards and son-in-law Del Monte Edwards of Scottsdale, Arizona, granddaughter Dr. Adrienne Michelle Magee and grandson in law Ricky Magee, granddaughter Malika Price-Smith, two great granddaughters, Assata Malika Price and Olivia Grace Magee, one great grandson, Carter David Magee, four nieces, Barbara White, Mary Ellis Gould, Jacqueline Price and Rebecca Price, one nephew, Emmanuel Peoples, a host of great nieces and great nephews, including Shawn Huggins and his wife De’Angelia Huggins and many devoted friends.

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