Billy Price

Billy Joe (BJ) Price, passed away on March 4, 2024. His birth certificate shows that he was born on August 21, 1940, in Kettle Island, KY to James Earl Price and Clemma Dora Hickey. However, the family bible states that he was born in 1938 so he may be older than we think! Bill was the youngest of 15 children...by 8 years. Bill was 9 years old when his mother passed away, at which time he and his dad moved to Indianapolis to live with older brother Glenn's family.

Bill attended Howe High School and was an outstanding athlete in football, basketball, baseball, and track & field. Bill enlisted in the Navy when he was 18, was sent to San Diego, CA for basic training, then was stationed at Naval Base Long Beach in CA. Bill spent the next three years primarily aboard ship as an electronics/radar technician. Story is that he was so seasick the entire time, everyone knew not to enter any room he was working in (you can guess why!). Bill served for three years then used his GI Bill to obtain a BA in Physical Education from Long Beach State. Bill was very proud of this degree as he was the only one of his 14 siblings (he was the youngest) to go to college. 

While in California, Bill met Pamela Gass who he subsequently married in June 1964. They settled in Torrance, CA where Bill worked for the Torrance Parks & Rec and daughter Kimberly Lynn was born in 1966. The family then moved to Camarillo, CA in 1971 when Bill accepted a position at Channel Islands High School in Oxnard, CA, where he taught and coached for about five years. Son Timothy Paul was born in 1972. Tired of dealing with disrespectful and unruly teenagers (his words), Bill decided to switch careers and became an insurance salesman for Traveler's Insurance. Bill and Pam raised their two children in Camarillo where he spent many weekends teaching and playing golf with his son and tennis with his daughter and enjoyed watching them participate in other sports as well. Bill and Pam subsequently divorced in 1991 and shortly thereafter, Bill moved back to Indianapolis where he worked part-time for FedEx on the package distribution lines. Bill also reconnected with former high school classmate Janet (Szatkowski) Allam during a high school reunion. Ironically, Bill and Janet ultimately tied the knot on June 27, 1998, on the same day and at the same venue as their 40th high school reunion which they attended after their wedding reception, by an officiant who was also another high school classmate! Bill and Janet settled in the Greenwood, IN area. 

Bill loved to laugh and joke around, had a sarcastic sense of humor, was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone, didn't like to ask for help, and inherited the Price family stubbornness! Bill was always active as an adult playing slo-pitch softball, golf and tennis. Bill eventually retired from FedEx in 2014 but sadly suffered a stroke in 2015, which left him with weakness on his dominant right side. Bill never really got the chance to enjoy retirement as he had hoped. After his stroke, he developed a penchant for doing crossword puzzles while watching Hallmark and Lifetime movies or sports on TV. 

Bill is preceded in death by his parents; half-brother Lavaughn; brothers Marvin, Ed, Herman, Earl (Glenn), Reed, Charles, James & Willy Dean; sisters Doris, Leanna, Ila Dane & Wilma Jeane; and step-grandson Zach Allam. Bill is survived by wife Janet (Szatkowski) Price, sister Betty Bennett (Marion, IN), son Tim Price (San Diego, CA), daughter and son-in-law Kim (Price) and Barry Marczuk (Camarillo, CA), grandchildren Tanner Marczuk (Camarillo, CA) and Kacie Marczuk (Ventura, CA), step-daughter and husband Suzy (Allam) and Kevin Mouser (Greenwood, IN), step-son Mark Allam (Ellettsville, IN), step-grandson and wife Andy and Anna Mouser (Indianapolis, IN), step-grandson and wife Tyler and Jenna Allam (Gosport, IN), step-grandson Casey Allam (Indianapolis, IN), four step-great-grandkids as well as cousins and a boatload of nieces and nephews. 

Bill will be sadly missed by all who knew him. A memorial will be held at 11am on April 11th at Indiana Funeral Care Greenwood Chapel, Indianapolis. Interment will be at 1pm on April 12th at Crown Hill National Cemetery, Columbarium Annex, Indianapolis. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Stroke Association (www.stroke.org).