Randel Price

Randel Keith Price, Ph.D., of North Little Rock, AR, died Sunday, March 15, 2015, aged 89. Dr. Price was born near Stamps, AR, on December 9, 1925, the son of Jesse Willis and Georgia Ellen Gregory Price. He served in the US Army (L Company, 342nd Infantry Regiment, 86th "Blackhawk" Division) during World War II and had a 40-plus year career in adult and extension education in Arkansas and Missouri. He was a member of Park Hill Baptist Church for the last 35 years.
Dr. Price is survived by his wife of 54 years, Margaret Miles Price; two sons - Randel M. of Memphis, TN, and Douglas K., wife Kathleen, and their son Nicholas of Fairfax, VA; two siblings - Arraminta Webb of Houston, TX, and Robert Price and wife Ethel of Stephens, AR; and nieces and nephews - including Richard Price and wife Jackie of McNeil, AR, and Dwight Randel Taylor and wife Mary of Humble, TX. A third sibling, Evelyn Taylor of Jennings, LA preceded him in death.
Randel Price graduated from Stamps, AR, high school and attended Magnolia A&M before enlisting in the army in 1943. He served with the 342nd infantry in the US, Europe, and the Philippines, receiving the Combat Infantry Badge and Bronze Star.
After earning a BS in Animal Husbandry from Louisiana State University in 1948, he joined the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service and served as a county agent in Poinsett, White, and Prairie counties. From 1954 to 1957, Dr. Price was part of the Arkansas Agricultural Mission to Panama. On return, he became an Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas. A leave of absence permitted completion of a Ph.D. in Extension Administration from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, before returning to Arkansas.
Randel K. Price and Margaret M. Miles married on September 3, 1960.
From 1962 to 1971, Randel Price was Professor of Extension Education at the University of Missouri, where he mentored more than 125 students as they attained their advanced degrees; he then became Director, Training and Staff Development for the University of Missouri Extension System. In 1979, he returned to Arkansas to serve as the Associate Director - Field Operations for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, subsequently serving as Interim Director, before retiring in 1988. In retirement, he had additional time for gardening, genealogy, and woodworking, and worked at the Arkansas State Fair each fall for 25 years.
Visitation will be at the North Little Rock Funeral Home on Thursday, March 19th, between 9:30 and 10:30 am. The memorial service will be at the funeral home at 10:30 am; interment at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery (North Little Rock) will follow at noon.
Memorials should be sent to the Cooperative Extension Service Retiree Scholarship (c/o UA Foundation, 2301 South University Ave., Little Rock, AR 72204-4940) or Park Hill Baptist Church building fund (201 East "C" Avenue, North Little Rock, 72116).
Online guest book and registry at www.SmithFamilyCares.com .