William F. “Bill” Price, age 82, passed away August 17, 2024, at the hospital in Onaga, Kansas. He was born January 28, 1942, in Galena, Kansas, to the late William and Freda Wyatt Price.
Bill was an avid baseball player in high school until he was stricken with polio on July 4, 1959. He was rushed to the KU Medical Center, where he was placed in an iron lung because he was paralyzed from the neck down. His paralysis receded, and he remained at the hospital for 9 months before recovering enough to go home and graduate with his high school class in 1960.
In 1962, he attended Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State University). He graduated in 1965 with a degree in business administration and a major in accounting. While there, he met Linda Rezac, and they married on July 1, 1966, in Emporia, Kansas.
In 1965, Bill started employment at the Boeing Company in Wichita, Kansas. He was a computer programmer for 6 years and helped write their payroll system. In 1971, Bill started working for the Department of Human Resources (later named the Kansas Department of Labor) in Topeka, Kansas. He was there for 33 years as a computer programmer, systems analyst and technical support supervisor.
After retiring in 2004, he decided to volunteer at the Onaga School System. He was there almost every day for 15 years, helping with their computers.
In 2008, Bill was awarded the Friend of Education Award from KNEA for his outstanding service to public education. In 2013, he received the Buck O’Neil Legacy Award from the Kansas City Royals for his volunteer work. In 2014, he was given the Mason’s Onaga Citizen of the Year Plaque for his community service.
Bill loved to play his guitar and sing. He did this for many years at nursing homes, senior centers and local events.
He is survived by his wife, Linda (Rezac) Price, of Onaga; and his children Shawn Price (Dorie Bishop), of Grantville, and Cindy Price (Jeff Ireland), of Maywood Park, Oregon.
Bill thrived in retirement in his new home of Onaga and loved being part of the community. He requested that memorial donations be made to the Onaga Senior Center, and may be sent in care of the funeral home, PO Box 312, Onaga, KS 66521.
A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 28th at 10:30 a.m. at the Onaga Community Center. Inurnment will be at a later date in St. Clere Cemetery at Emmett. A visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 27th at the Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Onaga.
