Pastor James Franklin Price

James Price was born on September 1, 1946 in Grafton, IL and was adopted by John and Gwen Price at the age of 5, along with his brother, age 3. He spent his young childhood in Centralia, IL, moving to Lewistown, MT where he completed junior and senior high school. While there his family was active in the First Christian Church and he was a member of the choir and a soloist, in addition to using his artistic ability in various ways. He was mentored by Pastor Ron McConkey, and preached on several occasions. In his senior year, he attended a church camp, which pointed him to the ministry. Upon his graduation from high school in 1964, he entered Nebraska Christian College, Norfolk NE and after studying there for five years, he graduated with Bachelor degrees in Ministry and Christian Education. While in NCC, he was able to continue the use of his musical and artistic talents. He traveled on behalf of the college with a mixed quartet promotional team. The alto on that team, Sherry Pickerell, became his wife in June, 1968. After graduation, he, Sherry and baby Adam moved to Griswold IA to serve as Associate Pastor. They were soon invited to move to Atlantic IA to begin a new church. Sherry was later diagnosed with lymphoma and died when Adam was 18 months old. Jim then moved to Council Bluffs IA becoming the artist and Assistant Director for Deaf Missions, an organization with the purpose of reaching deaf people with the gospel. As a part of his job description, after learning sign language, he taught Bible classes at the Iowa and Nebraska Schools for the Deaf and preached at for a congregation of deaf and hard of hearing people. Two years later, Kathleen Ann Burnham and he were married, and moved to Lincoln NE, where they began a deaf congregation at Capital City Christian Church, while Jim served as Associate Pastor. It was during this time that their daughter (Kapu) came from India at 3 ½ years old to be adopted into their family. In 1979 Jim and his family moved to Prescott AZ and became the pastor of Willis Street Church of Christ, later Prescott Christian Church. It was during this time that their third child (Aaron) was born. Jim was active in the community, especially the Sunup Rotary Club and as an interpreter for the deaf. Later he helped to begin and was the first pastor of Westside Christian Church. He also had been employed by The Prescott Courier, Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home, Waste Management, and Patriot Disposal, Inc. After a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease, Jim passed away on Monday, August 25, 2014. He is survived by his 3 children and 8 grandchildren: Adam (Jennifer), Braden, Caleb, Dawson; Kapu (Jay), Kirsi, Phillip, Lincoln; and Aaron and children Kadance and Cameron; brothers Ed (Donna) Price and their 3 children; and Carl Irwin and his 3 children, and many other extended family members and friends.