Roger was born at home in Lehi, Utah on May 23, 1914, the first child of George Philip and Nydia Fern Taylor Price. Their home was on the West side of 2nd West, directly across the street from where Roger lived during these past 10 years. He was fond of saying that he never made it far in this life, born across the street, raised next door, raised his family just down the block and now lives within feet from where he was born. He was never far from his roots, on that you can be sure. But Roger was a man of many talents who had gone far beyond the accomplishments of most folks, no matter where they started or ended.

It was a pleasant childhood for him, as his grandparents Taylor and Price lived within blocks of the home. When the Taylor grandparents moved to Washington, his mother related that she had found him crying in the corner with a sweater that had been his grandfathers. When asked why, he said because he missed the guy who wore it. We will all miss the guy who wore Roger’s clothes. He did go with his parents on a train trip to visit his grandparents in Yakima, Washington, as his mother was also homesick for her family.

Roger’s brothers and sisters arrived to fill out the Price family. Next came Ronald, then Zetella, followed by Paul, then Dale and the youngest, Beryl.

When Roger was ten years old the family moved into their new home on 2nd West and State Street, where he spent his growing up years. He often told of how he had helped build the house by carrying bricks and water to his father while doing the masonry work on their home. He told us of the tree he planted next to the house that he had brought here in a coffee tin from American Fork canyon. When that tree passed on this spring, he said that it had had a good long life, living in a beautiful small town surrounded by love and family. It would warm us in the future. It would return its energy to life.

He loved the out of doors and developed a love of flowers and plants. He helped his mother tend the plants and flowers in their garden. Among the additions to the home, he built a fish pond and flower garden near the back door of the family home. It was not common having a pond in the yard then, and his mother was always fearful that a child might fall in and be drowned, (of course that never happened, but moms need things to worry about). He was very clever with his hands and did whittling of wood and wove flowers chains that were quite intricate and detailed in their design. Later, he carved fish, animals and people that showed the care and skill of a true artist. He shared these objects with his family and friends. These carvings are among their most prized possessions.

He attended the Lehi Schools and did well in his studies. He was a distance runner who held the record in his class for many years. It was about that time that he developed pneumonia, which left him with a damaged heart. This finished his running, but the years and experiences to come would show that Roger had a heart as good and fine as any on this earth.

He played violin in the “Cousin’s Orchestra”. They played at various dances and parties. Roger’s love of music endured throughout his life.
Though his father thought he should attend college, Roger chose Barber College in Salt Lake City. He continued this career throughout most of his adult life. His daughters Phyllis and Rhonda followed his steps and became much sought after hair stylists.

It was about this time that a girl from Alpine, by the name of Hazel Hunter came in to his life. She was a cute, petite brunette. He often made trips on his bicycle all the way from Lehi to see her in Alpine. On one trip he lost his wallet. The following morning his father took him to Alpine in hopes of finding it. There it lay in the middle of Main Street. Only in Utah! He eventually married Hazel, who was his loving wife for 65 years.
During these early years of marriage, Roger and Hazel had a home built on the corner of 9th N and 2nd W in Lehi, and here they began raising their family. Roger did barbering at the State Training School during part of this time. J.R. had a sister, Rhonda, who joined the family, followed by Phyllis, and Dianne. When Neil was born, Hazel cried because he wasn’t a girl and Dr. Eddington remarked that she already had a whole house filled with girls. (Hazel was glad Neil was a boy and depended on him for so many special things). Brothers, Terry and Paul, followed Neil into this growing family. It was certainly something, to go to their house and have one little boy standing watch while his mother was at the clothesline, and the other two little boys blowing a toy at the back end of the vacuum. What one boy didn’t think of, the other two did. Big brother J. R. was too grown up for this foolishness.

One cannot talk about Roger’s life without mentioning his passion for fishing. He not only loved to fish, but he was really quite good at it. It was said that he could catch fish even when they weren’t any in the stream. He often fished with his children, grandchildren or generally anyone willing to discover the joys of fishing with him. In the past year, son-in-law David saw to it that he could do his fishing from a boat and took him on fishing expeditions on the local lakes. Son-in-law Bill Hayes shared his passion for fishing, as did his son, Neil. Neil fished more with Roger than most. They fished from Baja California to far off in Canada. They fished the streams and lakes of Utah and the western states.

Roger started his Barber Shop on Main Street and also joined the Volunteer Fire Department of Lehi. He remained a member of this group for many years. He also served on the Lehi Police Force. Roger was the Fire Chief at Dugway Proving Grounds for about 18 years.

These were happy years for the young, growing family. The children were involved in school and church activities as they grew into adulthood. Roger took up still another hobby of geology and rock hounding. He went out with friends prospecting, collecting fossils and stones that he found interesting. He was written up in a Geological Society paper for some of his finds in the backcountry of Utah and Nevada. He cut and polished many of the stones, fossils and geodes he had collected along the way. He made them into beautiful jewelry for family and friends.

In 1963, Roger and Hazel moved to Spring Valley, California. J. R. and Shirley were married by this time and lived in San Diego as well, as J. R. was a radioman in the Navy stationed there. Dianne joined Roger and Hazel in San Diego a little while later where she stayed to raise her own family.

Roger and Hazel returned to Salt Lake City in 1966. Roger had a barbershop in downtown Salt Lake City. Among his many clients, were the General Authorities of the church, including Church President, Ezra Taft Benson and Howard W. Hunter. At Roger and Hazel’s 50th wedding Anniversary, President and Sister Benson made it a point to come to their celebration in Lehi, where they both serenaded the Prices by singing “In the Blue Canadian Rockies” and other old favorites.

As they became older, Hazel convinced Roger they should spent their winters in Mesa, Arizona. We thought Roger might last a month at the most, but he loved it there. He took up his barbering and also taught classes in painting. He even found a few favorite fishing holes nearby. He painted many beautiful canvases, and had some of his paintings selected as magazine covers. He was in demand as a teacher and taught art at several of the Retirement Parks. It was such a choice experience to see the thrill that his students received when they produced their own good canvases. He was a patient and thorough teacher. Hazel and Roger made many friends in the area and were busy socializing constantly. Many of these friends continued to call at their home in Lehi, on route to their homes in the East and Canada. Their circle of friends was always expanded by this experience.

After Hazel died, Roger decided to stay in Lehi. He continued to live in his home, with his children close at hand to assist him. What a loving and caring family he has and how he appreciated everything they did for him!

Roger started going to the Legacy Center with the senior citizens. He loved the activities, went to physical therapy and had lunch there most days. Often Dianne accompanied him and helped with the chores and activities at the center. At other times, he drove himself in his van and picked up friends also going to lunch. These people became a very important part of his life. It made the days more interesting for him, sharing a meal and camaraderie with his friends and family. He always looked forward to another day at the Legacy Center. He would share his paintings at the Legacy Center. Every week on Monday he would bring down a new one and pick up the one from the week before. He was a talented, witty and versatile man. He had camped, hunted and fished his entire life. He was a man of many hobbies, all in which he excelled. Fire Chief, barber, policeman, fisherman, hunter, painter, wood carver, geologist and truly a Renaissance man, living and enjoying life to its fullest. A multifaceted man of many accomplishments, a jewel of a fellow, he was good to his family and friends. Always ready with a joke or a story to tell, usually with a lesson to learn, as well. We all love him dearly and will always remember him as a gentleman, father, grandfather and friend.

He suffered a massive stroke on Monday, August 19, and was taken to the American Fork Hospital. He passed on peacefully on August 27, 2002.

Survived by his children, J.R. (Shirley) Price, American Fork; Rhonda (Glade) Russon Lehi; Bill Hayes (son-in-law), Saratoga Springs; Dianne (David) Piccus, Lehi; Neil (Donna) Price, Orem; Paul Price, Switzerland; 20 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; and 1 great, great, grandson. One brother, Dale Price (Carma), Lehi; two sisters Zetella Lind, Lehi; and Beryl Tibbetts, Lehi. He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 yrs. Hazel Hunter Price, a daughter Phyllis Hayes, and a son Terry, both his parents, George and Nydia and brothers Paul and Ronald.

William Price was born on July 29, 1859 in Llanafan Parrish, Breckonshire, South Wales. He was the son of John and Elizabeth (Betsy) Price. He grew to manhood in his native land.

He recalls playing in the gardens of his uncle, who had a large estate, with many deer and animals on the estate. But times for him were hard, and, like many people in Wales, he worked in the coal mines there.

In 1880, on July 27, he was married to Mary Ann Margetts in England. Work was hard for the young couple, and they were convinced by Thomas R. Jones, a missionary, to start a new life in the United States where he told them they would have a change for a better life. They had at this time a young son, Edward, who was born Feb. 4, 1882. It was hard for the young couple to bid farewell to loved ones and friends, never to see them again. William was disowned by his family, for he was investigating the L.D S. church, and it was not popular with his people.

He crossed the ocean in company of Thomas R. Jones, who brought them to Lehi with him, and settled them in a little log cabin in the Third Ward area, across from the George Barnes home on 8th north and west in the fields. William worked at whatever jobs he could at this time. Sadness came to the couple when, after only a few months in this country, their infant son of four months contracted pneumonia and died June 10, 1882. They had brought the baby on the ship, cooking their own meals en route, and had settle successfully in their new land. Here, alone, they buried their child in the Lehi Cemetery.

William was baptized, along with his wife Mary Ann, on December 11,1882. It was not until May 15, 1895 that they were sealed in the temple and had, six children sealed: Edward,(deceased) Winnifred,

Mary Elizabeth, William James (deceased) John, and George Phillip.

It was the 9th of May, 1892, that William made the declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United States. Utah, at the time, was the Territory of Utah, but Lehi was in Utah County (see copy). He was listed as being a citizen of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. His final citizenship papers were issued August 20, 1894. when George was a year old.

William worked on the railroad on the section, and became the section boss. He was away from home working quite a lot of the time, and William kept a hired girl for her, among them Harriet Gough. He developed a hernia at this time, and Harriet recalls that it gave him a great deal of trouble

William bought a house and a block of property from Otto Hudson, and here the family raised a large garden and fruit. The young boys helped in the harvest of onion and vegetables; rhubarb, raspberries, cherries and other fruit that were sold to the store to help with the family income. Live chickens were also taken to the store, where they were kept in a coop until someone wanted to purchase them, then take them home live to be killed and eaten. William was an honest man, and he was always fair in his dealings.

In his later years, he worked as custodian at the Central School located on Center Street and 6th N, Lehi. Here he fired the boiler and cleaned the school. His son George and Bill Worlton (Dr. William Worlton) would help him dean the school as they were students there at the time and worked with him after school. His health was failing at this time.

He was a true friend to his fellow man and was ever ready to lend a helping hand to those in trouble if it were within his power. He had piercing blue eyes, and was very independent.

For many years during the early part of his time in Lehi he followed railroading as has been indicated. At one time he assisted in laying the telegraph line from the Lehi Junction to Eureka.

Welsh was often spoken in the Price home with Thomas R. Jones and others from Wales, and the Price children were taught to speak some welsh. Grandchildren can recall going to their grandparents home and having “Verimin and kaus” [Bara menyn a caws] (bread and butter and cheese) which bad bread buttered on the loaf , then sliced off. Cheese was on a large cheese board with cutter and covered with cheese cloth (usually 21 cake or 10 lb. about 5″ thick) and they learned to love the sharp cheddar cheese that was staple item for the William Price family.

When the flu epidemic of World War 1 hit, he had 21 family members down with the flu at one time, and he was always mindful to take care of each of the married family members and their family. He cautioned his children to never go into debt, and his daughter-in-law, Nydia, recalls him telling her to never let George mortgage their house. ,,Sometimes men do foolish things, my girl. George has a pretty level head, but don’t ever let him take the roof from over your head”, was his advice to her.

He seemed to have a never-ending supply of candy. He always bad a bag of peppermints in his pocket, and they made their appearance at just the right time to please a grandchild. This characteristic was also true of his son, George, and as children–including great-great grandchildren came into the home they knew exactly where Grandpa Price had his candy and would have been disappointed without this special treat.

During about the last twenty years of his life, he remained at home and busied himself about his garden and surroundings. It was during this time on December 30, 1930 that he was called upon to mourn the passing of his wife. He grieved for her greatly.

William was truly a family man. He loved his family and their interests have been his interests. He was an independent man – always wanting to pay his own way and never be in dept to anyone. He took great pride in his grandchildren, always having their welfare at heart. He loved them and was happy when they were near him. All lived within blocks of him when they were growing up and were constantly under foot.

He had a strong testimony of the L. D. 5. church, and maintained it to the end of his life. He died Dec. 2, 1938 at 8 o’clock p.m. He was buried in the Lehi Cemetery beside his wife and the four infant children.