OMEGA CHAPTER ALERT FOR BROTHER KELLY OTIS PRICE II -- Fall 1967

Memorial services for Brother Kelly Otis Price II are as follows:

Monday, December 28th from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m., Public walk through viewing. Location-Price Mortuary; 1209 Sixth Street; Orange, TX 77630. Mask required. Tuesday, December 29th from 11 a.m. until 11:45 a.m., Mt. Sinai Baptist Church; 1109 Second Street; Orange, TX 77630. Walk through viewing. Mask required. Tuesday, December 29th, High Noon until, Eulogistic Service. Location-Price Mortuary; 1209 Sixth Street; Orange, Texas 77630. Service will be held on lawn of the funeral home. There will be lawn seating, audio available if you choose to remain in your car. Casket will not be reopened at this service. This will be a sacred service. Everyone is welcome.

-- Editor's note from Brother Price's hometown newspaper, The Orange Leader --

Grieving at the holidays,

By Dawn Burleigh, General Manager/Editor

www.orangeleader.com

On Monday, I spoke with a young man on many different topics and we started discussing Kelly Price, Sr.

Price was an exceptional man who worked at the post office, worked in realty, and believed strongly in serving the community. He served on city boards and the city council for the city of Orange. He also owned Geter Funeral Home.

His son, Kelly Price II, joined his father at the funeral home and took it over after his father passed a couple of years ago. The younger Price was a kind hearted man who also gave to the community, but quietly behind the scenes. He also took great pride in his work or whatever task he had before him. But that is not what I will remember first about him. It will always be the look he had in his eyes as he looked upon his bride, Wythel. She too had the same look in her eyes as she gazed upon him.

I was saddened and shocked when I heard Kelly Price II had passed away on Monday. My first thought was of his wife and how she was doing. Silly question because I know how I would be doing if it was my husband.

My first real visit with the younger Price concerned the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s death.

As Mr. Price put it, “Every one celebrated his birth and honor him, but no talks about the day he died.”

Mr. Price attended Morehouse College, King’s alma mater, when he heard the news of King’s assassination. Price was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the same fraternity as King. Price told me about the fraternity being asked to be ushers for King.

As part of the duties of usher, Price also stood at the head of King’s casket while the body of King lay in state for 48 hours at Spelman College across the street from Morehouse College. Morehouse College is an all-male school while Spelman College is an all-female school. Price was also a member of the Glee Club, which sang at the funeral.

“I did not think I was part of history at the time,” Price said at the time. “I was involved in the March at Washington. I heard two of Martin Luther King’s speeches; the speech against Vietnam and the I have a Dream. He was also a Founder’s Day speaker at the College. I never thought I would be a part of his funeral.” Price said he was unable to put into words the feelings he had while standing at King’s casket. And now we will be standing at his casket.

Not only has the city lost a good man, but we also lost another piece of history. There is nothing like hearing what happened first hand from a person who lived it. -- 30 --