Willie Nora Price was born to Velmae and Jonathan Nichols April 17, 1929. She was raised in Jefferson Davis County, Oakvale, Mississippi. Her two brothers, W.J. Bourne and Edgar Bourne, Sr., and her daughter, Jennifer Woods preceded her in death. She loved Jesus Christ, music and reading scripture. While attending Palestine Missionary Baptist Church and Christ Temple Holiness Church, she attended Sunday school, sang in the choir and occasionally played piano during services. Her childhood pastor, Pastor Vance, recognized that Willie-Nora’s values were closely aligned with scripture.
Willie-Nora attended Bellview Elementary School and Prentiss Normal Industrial Institute. She excelled in music, home economics, writing and arts & crafts. She wrote short stories for the high school newspaper, the local Black magazine, participated in the Glee Club and loved cheerleading. She developed a love for working with children. She graduated High School in 1947. When she arrived in California in 1949, she continued her education at Pasadena City College and Citrus College, obtaining her LVN license from Citrus College.
At age 20, Willie-Nora married Rev. Cleophus Price, Sr. They settled in Monrovia, California and began their family and were blessed with eight brilliant children.
Nursing came natural to Willie-Nora. She was employed at City of Hope Medical Center in 1962 and retired after 30 years of dedicated service. In addition to City of Hope, she worked at several convalescent homes in the area, providing skilled patient care and a spirit filled atmosphere.
One day, Rev. and Mrs. Price invited the Child Evangelism team to conduct a Good-News Club meeting in their home. The Good-News-Club meeting had a profound effect on Mrs. Price. She became a Child Evangelism teacher and taught for over 50 years, evangelizing children to Jesus Christ. Mother Price continues to be appreciated by countless adults that were involved in the Good-News-Club and her ministry.
She has maintained membership for over 40 years at her home church, Shiloh AME Zion Church. Locally she was active in Sunday School, Evangelism, Missionaries, Stewardess, Ordained Deaconess, Bible Study and Buds of Promise. She trained countless children, providing spiritual nutrition, growth and Christian education. As District Director of Christian Education for The Southwest Rocky Mountain Conference she was exemplar, loved and respected. Filling her shoes has been difficult. “The Lord knows the way through the wilderness; all you have to do is follow.” This quote was Mother Price’s favorite, and it guided her daily actions and interactions. The “glass is half full” reflects her lifetime optimism.
Mother Willie-Nora Price leaves seven children, twelve grandchildren and three great-grand children to carry-on her legacy. Children; Cleophus Price, Jr. (Valerie), Diana Price, Ray Price (Laurie), Rickie Price (Kimberly), Patrick Price, Beverly Price-Caldwell, and Dr. Paul-Jahi Price (Sherrie). Grandchildren; Tianka Price, Christopher Cole, Jennelle Price, Dr.Jonathan Price, Briana Price, Kyra Price, Raymond Price, Dorian Brown, Demetrius Price, Esq. (LaKimberly), Nicholas Price, Laura Price & Guy Woods, III. Great-grandchildren; Christopher Hodge II (Jesika), Kameron Woods and Kaylon Woods.
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