Barbara Price

Barbara Ann Price, 71, left this world peacefully on Saturday April 18, 2020 after a brave, yet short battle with leukemia. She was born the youngest of 13 children to her parents Marie and Thomas Price in Salem, Ohio on September 19, 1948. She graduated in 1966 from United Local High School in Hanoverton, OH, married at 18 after the deaths of both parents and became a mother in early 1968. She indulged her sense of adventure in her younger adult years, living in California and Colorado, until eventually settling in Tennessee for the majority of the last 4 decades.

She began her long medical career as a hospital technician in the early 1970s in Ohio and became a licensed Respiratory Therapist in the mid-70s, working for many years at the Oak Ridge Hospital (now Methodist Medical Center) and several other hospitals and nursing homes in Tennessee. Eventually she found great satisfaction in working in the home care sector and really loved visiting different areas and helping her respiratory patients at their homes. She was lucky to have found her calling, as any of her patients would tell you that she was a truly caring and compassionate caregiver. Even after retiring from respiratory care, she still enjoyed working part-time as a general home caregiver. She definitely had a gift for it and really just loved helping people.

Barbara raised a daughter, partially as a single mother, instilling in her by example a strong work ethic, the drive to excel in all pursuits, to be honest, principled, kind, caring, compassionate, and strong and to stand up for what's right. She is described by her friends as "one strong lady", "witty", "special" and "a tough cookie". She lived life on her own terms, but she was generous and thoughtful, always stepping up to help family, a friend, or even an acquaintance in need. She was a faithful member of the First Free Will Baptist Church in Oak Ridge.

Preceded in death by siblings Arthur R. Price, Charles Price, Margaret Price, Marge Dixon, Ruth Sferra, Vera Price and her beloved Sheltie, Laddie.

She is survived by her daughter Lisa Marie McGuire (Sam Williams) of Nashville, sisters Janet Everhart (Ray) of Lisbon, OH and Clara Wilson (Bob) of Columbiana, OH, bother Tommy Price (Chris) of Lisbon, OH and her "honorary sister" Cynthia Stewart of Belton, SC, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She will be deeply missed by many.

A celebration of life will be held in Oak Ridge, TN at a later date to be determined. To be notified of the arrangements, please email [email protected] . In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation in her name to one of these organizations would honor her giving spirit: American Cancer Society (Cancer.org), MDS Foundation (mds-foundation.org), AmericanHumane.org or your local animal shelter.