Gary L. Price

Gary Lee Price gained his wings on Thursday April 11, 2024, after an incredible, decade long battle with cancer. Known for his twisted sense of humor along with impeccable timing, Gary spent countless hours at local watering holes spreading laughter, sharing oilfield stories, and cheering for the talented musicians. His ability to make those around him smile and laugh was just as amazing as his larger-than-life personality.

Gary was born March 28, 1960, in Kilgore, Texas to Sandy and Jane Price. He had an adventurous childhood attending schools in all parts of Texas but eventually all roads ran back to Kilgore where he graduated from high school in 1978. After graduation he pursued additional education at Kilgore “Harvard On The Highway” College majoring in Oil and Gas Technology. His heart and soul were planted firmly in the oil and gas industry, and he enjoyed an amazing 40 years in the profession that he loved most. Gary retired as a Well Intervention Consultant in December 2023.

Although he often believed oil and gas ran through his veins, his true passions were sporting clays and music, more specifically guitars. Gary received his first guitar at age 12, a classic Buck Owens red, white and blue one straight from the Sears catalog. He originally followed his early hero, Johnny Cash, watching his television show weekly and working daily to achieve his style of picking. Later he heard Willie Nelson playing a concert at a venue behind his home and was instantly hooked on the red-headed legend. Gary spent a lifetime playing Willie music and crossing countless state lines to follow him to concerts. He often stated that he knew Willie’s set list better than Willie himself! When not perfecting his skills on the flat top box, Gary was shooting. He loved hunting; deer, squirrels, rabbits, birds, anything that would give him the chance to smell gun powder. He later began shooting skeet and then became an avid Sporting Clays shooter where he earned the status of Master Class. Every weekend his calendar was filled with tournaments across Texas and Louisiana and some of his greatest friendships were born from these events. He always found the time and strength to enjoy both music and shooting through chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and infusions. He was considered by most who met him to be one of the strongest individuals they have ever met, simply because of his hardheaded will and determination. In addition to participating in the tournaments, he also spent a great deal of time helping to build a following for Sky High For Kids, one of the most successful charity organizations in the country for raising awareness of childhood cancer. Sky High For Kids contributes to both St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Texas Children’s Hospital, two facilities that were dear to Gary’s heart.

Gary was super proud of his amazing daughter and her family. Although he often teased her about “breaking her dinner plate,” he was never so proud as when his daughter Ashley received her diploma from Texas A&M University; that is, until she blessed his life with two beautiful grandchildren, Audrey and Carson. He also cherished his son-in-law Chance who was always there to lend a hand, no matter when or where, and Chance also picked up his oil and gas torch to carry on for another generation.

Gary leaves behind his best friend of over 20 years (and wife for the last 8 of those years), Connie Hines Price. Together the two of them enjoyed big adventures, endless hours of music, and more than two decades of completing each other’s sentences. According to those close to him, he referred to her as “his rock” just as he was hers.

Gary was preceded in death by his father Sanders DeLone Price, Jr., his mother Jane Morris Price, his daughter Sheena Price, his brother Scotty Price and his grandparents.

Surviving Mr. Price are his best friend and wife, Connie; his beautiful daughter Ashley Bailey and her husband Chance; his wonderful brothers and their wives, Jason and Kappy Edwards and Stephen and Jennifer Wright, as well as his two amazing grandchildren, Audrey Bailey and Carson Bailey, sister-in-love Rose Price, loving aunt Carolyn Price Baldree and husband Ron Grimm, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and countless loyal friends. Additionally, Gary leaves behind two bonus daughters and their families, Kendall and Chris Keiss, and Taylor and Allen Colbert, plus Ashley’s mother Ronda and her husband Jerry Wilson who provided a great deal of love and support during his battle with cancer.

Last but not least, he leaves his sweet fur babies who miss him dearly, Dixie, Daisy and Kizzy.

The visitation for Gary will be Friday April 19th at Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore from 6pm to 8pm.

Services will be Saturday April 20th, also at Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore at 11am, followed by burial at Memory Park Cemetery in Longview.

The family encourages everyone to honor Gary’s memory by making a donation to his favorite organization, Sky High For Kids. Their website is https://skyhighforkids.org.

Online condolences may be left at www.raderfuneralhome.com