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Carol,

First let me thank you for this site. It was a joy to find. I really appreciate the work that you put into it. My first excitement at finding the site was tempered when I found and went over the memorial page. I was depressed at seeing so many of my classmates have passed away. I remember them a vibrant young people and to have lost so many saddens me. I’m not sure many here will remember me but I remember many of you.

My first thought was to write, at some point, and add a little sports history to your page from my era. I’m sure that some of those that come here will gladly refresh/correct some of my foggy recollections. Somewhere I have some pictures and articles from my era and as soon as I find them I’ll pass them on for the sports pages.

Unfortunately, the reason I’m writing today is to report the passing of a former Typhoon, my brother, Thomas A. Price, Jr. “Tommy” on October 28th. He was a 1951 graduate. I know that goes back a little before most of the people here but his connection runs throughout NNHS history. He married a 1951 NNHS graduate, Christine Hand Price. His sister, Jane Price London was a 1955 NNHS graduate. His brother, (that’d be me) Robert E. Price was a 1961 NNHS graduate. And his oldest son, Robert W. “Bobby” Price was a member of the last NNHS graduating class of 1971.

Tommy was the winner of the NNHS Julian Gordon Trophy 1950 as the outstanding football player of that year. He’s the reason I played football for the Typhoons. We had some things is common on the football field, we wore the same jersey number ‘22’, we were about the same size, and we both scored wins on Turkey Day over the Crabbers, his in 1949 and mine in 1959 and 1960. But that’s where the difference ends. He was the football player. He was a hard nose defensive stand out, I was an average high school player. He was a guard, defensive nose guard. When he played there were no face mask, or mouth pieces. I remember him saying once that if you just hit the opposing player a few times in the mouth early in the game they weren’t much trouble the rest of the game. But if they hit you back you were in for a long game.

Since I was only 6 or 7 when he played I don’t remember much about his games with one exception. I do remember watching the game where he recovered a fumble and his returning it for about 20+ yards - his only carry. His biggest fan and as well as mine was our mother, now 97. She attended just about every football game he and I played in and was very vocal in her support.

Tommy also served in the US Army, in Germany, for two years and was a firefighter with the NNFD for 29 years. The fire department turned out for the funeral last Thursday and it was a very moving tribute.

Hopefully the next time I write it will be for a much lighter and brighter note.

Robert

Oh, Robert, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss! Thank you for joining us, and for sharing your sad news. Please accept our deepest condolences.

		Thomas Anderson Price, Jr. NEWPORT NEWS - Thomas Anderson Price, 75, passed away, surrounded by his loving family on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2006, after a courageous battle with a long illness. He was born in Newport News, the son of the late Thomas A, Sr. and Alberta H. Price. He graduated from Newport News High School in 1951. Upon graduating, he entered the U.S. Army and served from 1952 to 1954. Upon his discharge, he joined the Newport News Fire Department and served for 29 years. He retired as Captain in 1983. He was one of the Washington Redskins most avid fans in the world. He had the privilege of seeing every home game with his family, until he was unable to attend. He married his high school sweetheart, Christine Price in 1952 and in March of 2002, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. He is survived by his wife, Christine Price; two sons, Robert (Bobby) Price and Keith Price, whom he thought were the greatest. He is also survived by the lady who he truly thought of as a daughter, Mary Beth Price, the wife of Keith and then there are the 'boys' as he called the apple of his eyes, Tyler and Graham. Other than his two sons, nothing was more precious to him as the time he shared with Tyler and Graham. Other survivors include his mother, Alberta H. Price; sister, Jane London and her husband, Jack; brother, Robert E. Price and a host of nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law, cousins and friends that will miss him greatly. Tommie's goal in life was to be everything that he could be to his family and he achieved that goal 100%. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006 at Peninsula Funeral Home. A funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with burial to follow in Peninsula Memorial Park with Newport News Fire Department Honors. Published in the Daily Press from 10/30/2006 - 10/31/2006. Guest Book