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Rodney “Snake” “Pricy” Price
Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | July 18, 2017
Rodney was born September 15, 1952 in Greenburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA to John W. & Audrey Costella Shine Price.
He attended John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Duquesne Junior High and Duquesne High School.As a high school student, Rodney was a member of the Duke Football Team. It was during this time, wearing jersey # 83, he was given the nickname “Snake” because of his ability to slither through the other players in order to make a play. The Duquesne newspaper sports reporter, in the article below, found it newsworthy when “Rodney Price picked off a Tom Lazenga pass to the side and raced 69 yards for a touchdown, giving the Dukes a short-lived 6-0 lead.”
Rodney was a kind and very thoughtful person. He lived up to the meaning of his name, and was truly “a law unto himself”. He was disciplined and believed in finishing everything he started. He was tolerant and liked to help everybody. He was very active, warmhearted and gave freely of his time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. He was accepting of the frailties of others, but he was also frank, methodical and believed in order. It was his desire to inspire and lead, and he was very responsible when handling tasks. There are many words and phrases to describe Rodney’s personality and character. He truly wanted to make a difference in the world, and this passion lead him to join the United States Navy.
Rodney didn’t waste any time after graduating from high school back in 1971! He immediately joined the Navy as a helicopter mechanic and remained committed to the Navy for 22 years retiring as a Yeoman 1st Class. During twenty-two years of active service, Rodney was deployed to various locations around the USA and the world, such as: Rhode Island, Maine, Bermuda, Maryland, Florida, California, Hawaii, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Panama.
It was during his 1975 deployment to Bermuda that he met his future wife, Delores, at a house party, they danced the night away. That was the start of a relationship that would lead to marriage. Being the honourable man that he was, Rodney asked Delores’ mother, Ada Turini, for permission to marry her daughter. She gave her blessing and Rodney set about proposing to Delores. The proposal went like this: “We have eleven days to get married in!”
On Wednesday, May 5th 1976, Rodney took Delores Levere Turini as his bride, becoming husband to Delores and father to Damien on the same day. The young family of three left Bermuda shortly after the wedding.
Ten months later they were blessed with a bouncing baby girl, Ronee, who Rodney nicknamed “Ladybird.”
The family traveled extensively with the military. Rodney was very accomplished while in the Navy, and throughout his military career he received numerous awards and designations, including Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons: National Defense Service Medal; Good Conduct Award (4), Overseas Service Ribbon, Navy Achievement Medal (2), Navy Unit Commendation, Sea Service Ribbon (3), Southwest Asia Service Medal w/Bronze Star; Humanitarian Service Medal; Meritorious Unit Commendation.
In 1993 Rodney retired from a rewarding career that enabled him to serve his country. The first two years immediately following his retirement, Rodney spent his time between Jacksonville, Florida and Bermuda before moving to Bermuda full-time. He worked initially on the Kindley Field Navy Base as a bus driver then for Safeguard Security and later settled at The Bank of N. T. Butterfield & Sons Ltd. where he worked for the past nineteen years.
Rodney was a decent man, indeed. One who provided for his family, and he went to work daily, regardless of how he was feeling, because he wanted to ensure that all of his family’s needs were taken care off.
The joy of Rodney’s life was his grandsons: Gladwyn III (Glaron) and Demetri Benjamin. He could not do enough for or with these boys. He enjoyed taking the boys fishing, having them over every weekend to have a boys’ night, which included jumping on the bed, pillow fights, watching TV, and eating pizza and/or tuna on crackers. He got into trouble many times because he would allow the children to eat candy and drink soda after they had already brushed their teeth, or he’d let them fall asleep without ensuring that they had their baths first. It was all about the fun!
Rodney loved all members of his family, and it is because of the love for his family that we planned family reunions from 2007, after the passing of his father. During a family reunion in Chicago, he met cousins that he had never met and who looked just like his father. After that time, anytime the Price Clan announced that there would be a family reunion, Rodney was determined to go as a demonstration of how his family was very important to him.
Rodney and Delores celebrated their 41st anniversary this year. Anybody that saw Rodney regularly knew he was on the countdown to retirement he would be sure to tell you exactly how many more weeks he had left!
Rodney Price passed away July 4, 2017 at his home in Devonshire, Bermuda. A person that departs from this earth never truly leaves, for they are still alive in our hearts and minds, through us, they live on.
He is predeceased by: Son: Damien S. M. Turini; Parents: John W Price and Audrey Costella Price; Grandparents: John & Everlena Wills Price, Aunts: Mary Diggs, Elizabeth Diggs and Barbara Jean Harris; Uncles: Willie B. Price, Roosevelt Price and Buddy Shine andSister: Everlena Brown.He leaves to mourn and will be greatly missed by his family.Wife: Delores L. Price, Daughter: Ronee D. Benjamin, Son-in-law: Gladwyn Benjamin, Grandchildren: Gladwyn III and Demetri Benjamin, Aunts: Rose Miller and Everlena Price, Brothers: Ronald (Wendy) Price, Robert Price, Sisters: Marilyn (Bruce) Brooks, Barbara Ann Session, Cynthia Hull & Ramona Mosley, Brother-in-laws: Hilton Turini, Leon (Lynell) Turini, Edward Turini, Charles Brown, Beresford Richardson. Sister-in-laws: Victorine (Myron) Binns, Beverly (McNeil) McGowan, Candace Webb, Renee Webb, Heather Turini, Gaylhia Le May, Anita Turini. Special Cousins: Rev. Alicia Miller, Anita Miller, Amelia Miller Shanklin and Amanda Miller Lankford. Special Nephew / Son: Silkkurt S. Richardson; Special Nieces: Catina Bruce, G. Trina Smith; Special Friends: Stephen Edwards, Timothy Edwards, Brian Edwards, Bruce Edwards, Phyllis Edwards Jackson, Janice Banks, Elliott Sanford, Paul Fields, Billy Danko, Buster, Kathy Brown Lyon, The Duquesne family and friends, Calvin & Vanita Williams, Pinky and Will, Carla Franklin, Steve (little brother) & Matica Legister, Maurice (Big brother) Brimmer, Troy Brimmer and the Inferno Club Family, The Bank of N T Butterfield and Son Family, and the Ex- Artillery Club Family and a host of other relatives and friends.
Friends will be recieved Thursday from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at New Life Ministries, 312 Viola Avenue, Duquesne, Pennsylvania 15110, where service will begin at 12:00 p.m. with Rev. Timothy Caldwell, officiating.
Originally published July 18, 2017.
Other deaths:
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