Our father, Orville Leonard Price, age 91, of Fremont passed on to his Heavenly home on Friday, January 12, 2024, with family by his side. He was born on March 26, 1932, to Ervin E. Price and Frances I. (Roush) Price. He was raised on the "Rosy Dawn Dairy Farm" in Fremont along with his six siblings. He attended Packard Country School and then graduated from Fremont High School. While in high school he was drum major for the band, participated in F.F.A., and was on the boxing team.

Upon graduating high school in 1950, he enlisted in the Army and proudly served his country in the Korean War. He received a purple heart for wounds sustained while on night patrol near the Pusan Perimeter. Upon his return to Korea from Tokyo, where he had surgery and recovered, he was attached to the "Tropic Lightning" infantry unit along the 38th parallel, and drove jeep for an Army Chaplain and assisted in the P.X.

Returning home in 1954, he married his high school sweetheart Wanda Mary Headlee. They raised three children, where they filled their home with music, much love, and the Love of Christ. They enjoyed many canoeing, skiing, and snowmobiling trips with likeminded family and friends affectionately known as the "Canoe Group". Camping at Sand Lake and along the Pine River was also a big part of family life. Orville was a long-time member of the First Reformed Church in Fremont. He loved music festivals and was also a member of the Wheatland Music Organization.

He received his diesel truck mechanics certification from Bailey Technical Institute in St. Louis, Missouri, and then worked at N&K Service and Parts as a diesel technician for forty-two years until his retirement. He took one year leave of absence from N&K to establish the automotive curriculum at the then newly opened Newaygo County Career Tech Center and sat on their advisory board for many years.

Together Orville and Wanda rafted the "Lava Rapids" on the Colorado River, cruised with friends on the Windjammer Tall Ship, and enjoyed many wonderful retirement years in Florida at Barefoot Bay. They have always served as the nucleus for the entire family, and he will be forever remembered and honored as a truly loving father, grandpa, uncle, and great-grandpa.!!

Orville is survived by his wife, Wanda; son, Daniel (Kathy) Price of Fremont; grandchildren, Jasen (Kelly) Veenstra, Tracey (Kristeena) Veenstra, Nicholas Veenstra, Scott (Rachelle) Veenstra, Terry (Stephanie) Price Jr., Craig Price, and Heather Love (Jason) Deaton;  great-grandchildren, Jackson Dean Veenstra, Ivy Willow (Matt) Yager, Ian Nicholas Veenstra, John Richard Veenstra, Gabriel Price, Isla Price, Abigail Price, and Ryleigh Price; sister-in-law, Virginia Price; daughter-in-law, Andrea Price; son-in-law, Mat Emerick; many nieces and nephews; and special family friend, Larry Thomas. He was preceded in death by his son, Terry Price; daughter, Deborah K. Emerick; and all his brothers and sisters, Lemoine (Eloda) Price, Arthur (Ruth) Price, Charles Price, Donald (Jolene) Price, Gloria (Al) Tibbe, and Carol (Harold) Hughes.

A Celebration of Life for Orville will be held in the Spring at the First Congregational Church in Fremont. For a more lasting memorial, friends are asked to consider the Orville and Wanda Scholarship Fund at the Fremont Area Community Foundation to assist students in the vocational trades. Friends may share memories with the Price family at www.crandellfh.com. Arrangements by Crandell Funeral Home – Fremont Chapel.