Grace C. Price

Grace C. Price

Died Feb. 26, 2016

NORTHPORT – Grace Clara Price, 99, of Northport, died Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 at Northport Highlands with her family at her side.

  Grace was born on June 19, 1916 in Munster, IN, the daughter of John and Ella (Ebbens) DeVries.  On May 3, 1947 she married George Randall Price who preceded her in death in 1994.

  Grace was the “well-adjusted middle child” in a farm family with 11 children: “well-adjusted” because she had three older brothers and three younger brothers, two older sisters and two younger sisters.  The family operated a truck farm on the outskirts of the greater Chicago area, and Grace delighted in telling stories of her childhood and work on the farm, with chores and meals being shared by all 13 family members.

  A registered nurse, Grace during World War II worked in Ann Arbor at University Hospital, caring for returning vets as well as working on the pediatric ward.  It was at UM Hospital that she made lifelong friends amongst the nurses she worked with, and also where, after the war, she met G. Randall (Randy) Price.

  Grace loved to be with her immediate and extended family, loved to care for those in need, loved to bake and cook, and was the only person who could keep everyone organized!  She lived for many years in Battle Creek, raising her family along Harper Creek, where many wonderful memories were created.  In 1993, she and Randy retired to Freedom Village in Holland, then on to Leland and Northport later in life.  Wherever she lived she was a pillar of a local Reformed Church congregation, and she easily made life-long friends.

  In 1967, after several summers with week-long vacations at a friend’s cottage on Glen Lake, the Price family purchased a cottage of their own at Billman’s Beach on

South Lake Leelanau.  It was this cottage that both parents and all three children (Larry (Bugs), Brian, and Carol) came to dearly love and returned to each summer for nearly fifty years.  At the lake Grace made a whole new set of friends, and extended family and friends piled into the tiny two-bedroom cottage.  Many birthdays of the four grandchildren were celebrated at the cottage, and many cakes were baked by Grace.

  Grace is survived by her son, Brian (Susan) Price of Maple City; daughter, Carol (Santo Santoriello) Price of Bristol, VT; four grandchildren, Shannon (Chris) Torres, Nate (Sylvia Vong) Price, Ellen (Jeff) Keen, and Kevin Price.  She is also survived by three great-grandchildren who she dearly loved, her sole surviving sister, Helen, and too many nephews and nieces to actually keep track of!

  In addition to her husband Randy, Grace was preceded in death by her son, Larry (Bugs) Price in 1990; and by 9 brothers and sisters. 

  A memorial service will be held in Leland early August to celebrate Grace’s life with friends and family, details to be provided at a later date.

  The family is eternally grateful to all the staff at Effie’s in Leland, and at Northport Highlands, who lovingly cared for Grace in her later years. 

  Memorials may be directed to the Leelanau Conservancy, PO Box 1007, Leland, MI 49654 and/or to the Leelanau Children’s Center, PO Box 317, Leland, MI 49654.

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