Thomas E. Price

Tom was born to Thomas William and Ruby Iris Love Price on June 7, 1946 in Long Beach, California. The Lord took him home on May 1, 2020 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tom passed from us peacefully in our home with his family by his side. He was only 73 years old and will be missed by so many. After graduating from McLain High School in 1964, he attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater for two years. Tom enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Korea and Japan as a radio operator and was proficient in Morse code. In 1978, he married Diane Lynn Almquist, and they had two children, Daniel and Jennifer. Tom worked as a journeyman electrician for ten years and in 1980, was hired by the Ford Glass Plant in Broken Arrow as an electrician and calibration specialist. He retired in 2010 and absolutely loved retirement. It gave him time to pursue all the hobbies he was so passionate about. Tom met Tricia Parks in 2009 and they immediately fell in love. They married in a beautiful glass chapel in Broken Arrow. Trish recalls how handsome and happy he was that day and how much he enjoyed all the friends and family members who came to share their joyful celebration. Tom loved music, especially bluegrass! When he was 15 years old, he saw Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs play “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” on a TV show called Hootenanny. He said it was at that moment he thought, “I don’t know what that is but I’ve gotta do it!” His mom and dad bought him his first banjo and he began playing with his extremely talented and musical family. He loved being a part of the family jams that often happened at Uncle Kenneth’s and Aunt Jimmy Lou’s! Later in life, Tom played banjo with the Green Country Bluegrass Association. He was a member of several bluegrass bands including “Wild Mountain,” “The ZooGrass Boys” and “St. Elmer’s Fire.” He enjoyed having a role in the Tulsa musical production “Cotton Patch Gospel.” Tom and Trish delighted in playing for residents at many assisted living centers throughout Tulsa. But, jamming with all his bluegrass buddies was his favorite thing to do. Tom also loved to share his passion for sailing. Having fully restored a Boston Whaler sailboat, Tom spent countless summer days with his family and friends sailing around Skiatook Lake. Armed with his sailing experience, not to mention his nautical humor and catchphrases, he made every outing a uniquely memorable one. Tom, an avid cyclist, put many miles in on Oklahoma roads. He and Trish became serious about cycling in their early sixties. They were members of the Tulsa Bicycle Club as well as board members for Oklahoma Freewheel, a fun and challenging ride across Oklahoma that he completed nine times. Even after riding fifty or so miles, he could still jam with his fellow bike-riding musicians in the evenings! In 2017, Tom, Trish and six friends rode their bicycles a grueling 2,500 miles from California to Florida. Tom carried his banjo in the SAG wagon and never missed a chance to play an impromptu gig along the way. An excellent marksman, Tom was a proud member of the Red Castle Gun Club, spending many hours in his home reloading room and target shooting at the range. He will be remembered for his warm smile, friendly nature, and his insatiable appetite for sharing laughs with those around him. Someone once told Tom that he was the ambassador of the Price family and that was so true. He loved his family and friends so very much. He was an amazing husband and friend to Tricia and a wise and loving dad to Jennifer and Daniel. His was a life rich and well lived, ended too soon. He is survived by his wife Tricia, brother Forrest, daughter Jennifer, son Daniel and fiancée Megan and by Diane, mother of his children. He is also survived by friends and family too numerous to mention. He was preceded in death by his father Jack Price, his mother Iris Price, and sister Vallie Colledge. Please consider sending memorials to: Oklahoma Freewheel 717 S. McFarland Street Stillwater, OK 74074 Memorial for Thomas Edward Price will be on Zoom, Saturday May 7th at 2:00 PM. The family will contact family & friends to share the link.

Tributes

Thomas E. Price

June 7, 1946 - May 1, 2020