Dr. Robert Edwin Price, Jr.

After a short battle with cancer, Dr. Robert Edwin Price, Jr passed away on July 20 at the Hock Family Pavilion, ending a long and rich life as a devoted father, grandfather, and friend to many. Bob was a Tar Heel through and through, living in Chapel Hill for more than 60 years, receiving three degrees from UNC, and being a longtime Rams Club member. The town will sorely miss him.

Bob was born in Reidsville NC on September 21, 1937, to Robert Edwin Price and Jean Glenn Hudson; a 25th birthday present to his dad as they shared the same birthday. Bob was active in the community earning Eagle Scout honors and playing football at Reidsville High School. As the starting quarterback for the Golden Lions, he won the State 2A title his senior year in the fall of 1954. He then enrolled at the University of North Carolina. While in college, he married Mary Jane Boydell in 1957 and graduated two years later. Bob and Mary Jane had two boys, Tripp and Ken, while he was working toward his medical degree at UNC.

In addition to all of the lives he touched over the years through his neurosurgery practice, Bob was a certifiable American hero. After finishing 2 years of general surgery residency at UNC. Bob was drafted into the Army and the family moved to Fort Campbell, Kentucky for a year as Bob trained with the 101st Airbourne, the following year Bob shipped out to Vietnam as part of the 173rd Airbourne, while the family moved to Greensboro to live with Mary Jane's parents. In Vietnam, he helped create a Children's Hospital and ran helicopter medivac missions. He served as the rank of Captain with great distinction. He received two Bronze Stars for Heroism in Ground Combat, a Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces, an Army Commendation Medal for heroism in the republic of Vietnam, an Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service at Fort Campbell, and the Air Medal for Meritorious Achievement while participating in Aerial Flight,

Upon returning to the States, he started his Neurosurgery Residency at UNC, beginning over 50 years of medical practice. After completing his residency in 1972, he joined the Durham Clinic PA in private practice and joined the staff at Watts Hospital. In 1976, Watts and Lincoln Hospital joined and moved to the new Durham County General Hospital. Over the years, Bob served many roles at the hospital including President of Medical Staff and member of the Board of Trustees. He also trained residents from both UNC and Duke for nearly 30 years. When the community needed an Ambulatory Surgery Center, Bob and a group of local physicians started the Davis Ambulatory Surgery Center. He turned over his practice to his son Ken in 2003 but continued to practice on a part time basis at the Federal Prison in Butner and at the UNC Spine Center.

Bob loved the coast, spending many summers of his childhood in Elizabeth City and Nags Head with his mother’s family. After he started working, he bought the family a townhouse at Tar Landing Villas in Atlantic Beach and the family spent summers at the beach enjoying the water. Bob caught the boating bug, buying a 21-foot Grady-White named the Trippken; three years later he jumped up to a 26 Bertram, and finally to a 53 Hatteras. Many days were spent cruising the Morehead City and Beaufort waterfront, Shackelford Banks, and Cape Lookout and fishing offshore. Bob served multiple terms on the Tar Landing Board of Directors and held most of the officer positions including President.

Bob is survived by his sons: Robert E. "Tripp" Price, III (Heidi) and Dr Kenneth O. Price, MD (Lori) and his grandchildren Catherine D Price and R. Hudson Price.

A celebration of life will be conducted at a later date. Burial will be at Green Hill Cemetery in Greensboro, NC