Dr. Alfred Price

Dr. Alfred R. Price, who practiced as a family physician in Pittsburgh, Pa. from 1955 to 1995, died at his home in Chambersburg, Pa. July 22 at the age of 95.

He was born in 1926 in Pittsburgh, the son of Gwilym A. and Marion Roberts Price and grew up in the Rosslyn Farms borough, with his two brothers, Gwilym A. Price Jr. and Richard Martin Price. While his father was a lawyer and businessman and his brothers were both lawyers, Dr. Price – known to many of his patients as Dr. Bob – chose to study medicine and work in general practice.

He attended the Rosslyn Farms School, which had four classrooms, each room serving two grades of students. He attended preparatory school at the Shadyside Academy, in Pittsburgh, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Princeton University. He received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and interned at Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, where he met his future wife, Joan Pauline, then serving as head nurse of the Women’s Surgical Floor. Following his internship, he joined the United States Navy, serving from 1952 to 1954 as a lieutenant junior grade and lieutenant senior grade.
He and his wife returned to Rosslyn Farms, where he soon established his medical practice in the neighboring Crafton borough. He managed a solo practice, which in its early years included obstetrics, and over the ensuing half-century, attended to thousands of patients, maintaining a first-come-first-serve office routine. He eschewed appointments out of concern a patient may have to wait more than 12 hours to see a doctor. He held evening office hours and made house calls, often through the night, carrying a heavy brown medical bag filled with emergency medical supplies.

He served on the medical staff at Ohio Valley General Hospital and served two terms as President of Staff. In addition, he was one of the first physicians at Ohio Valley to serve on the Board of Trustees.
In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Price enjoyed relaxing by playing his favorite church hymns on an electric Hammond organ. He was also an avid reader and pursued a lifelong interest in Winston Churchill. For a good belly laugh, he read P.G. Wodehouse novels. He loved classical music and dixieland jazz; he had considerable doubts about rock and roll.

He and his wife Joan were avid travelers and made annual trips to the family’s vacation cabin on Manitoulin Island in northern Ontario. In addition, they enjoyed numerous visits to Europe, often renting apartments and immersing themselves in local neighborhoods, regardless of whether they could speak the language.
In 2003, he and his wife moved to a retirement community in Chambersburg, where he relaxed through his final years.

He is survived by his wife, Joan, of 68 years; their son, Alfred Roberts (Rob) Price Jr.; daughter-in-law, Susan P. Morehouse, and his beloved granddaughter, Lora. Also, his brother-in-law, Harry Pauline; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews, including: Gwilym A. (Kathy) Price III; Ellen (David) Sandberg; Jeffrey L. (Jin-Yuan) Price; Cassie (Tom) Price; Elisabeth (Claude) Morrissey; Marion Price; Lisa (William) Hildebrandt; Mark (Ingrid) Strayer; Andrew (Carol) Strayer; and Amy Hartzell.
He was predeceased by his father, mother, and brothers; also a sister-in-law, the late Patricia Pauline.

A funeral service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 58 S. 2nd St. Chambersburg, Pa. at 11am Friday, July 30, 2021. Arrangements are entrusted to Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home, Chambersburg, PA.

Letters of condolences may be mailed to Alfred R. Price Jr., 106 Chaddock Ave. Hornell NY 14843. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Ohio Valley General Hospital or the Menno Haven Benevolent Fund.