The Life and Legacy of Mr. Cornelius "Butch" Wesley Price, Sr.

". . man is just what he thinks himself to be . . . He will attract to himself what he thinks most about. He can learn to govern his own destiny when he learns to control his thoughts". Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind

Mr. Cornelius "Butch" Wesley Price, Sr., was the second of five children born to the late Willie Leo and Mary Lee Price-Lee. He began his earthly journey on September 13, 1945 in Coffeeville, Kansas by a midwife at home (as were four of the five children). He was received back into the arms of the Lord on July 21, 2016.
Although his spirit has ascended to be with the Lord, his influence during 70 years on earth is undeniable. He was an extraordinary man who strived to be better in all areas of his life, and wanted those around him to strive to be better as well. He was fiercely competitive, a veracious reader, a seeker of knowledge, and unapologetically confident. He continuously sought to stretch his knowledge by reading everything, but his favorites were the annual Almanacs, Physician's Desk Reference, Guinness Book of World Records, Travel Guides, and anything that offered him an opportunity to learn. He also surrounded himself with people he could learn from in his quest for knowledge. His interest in knowledge extended to his children, as he challenged and expected then to constantly grow. In the summers, he encouraged his children to study the dictionary to increase their vocabulary and spelling mastery. Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of Cornelius "Butch" Wesley Price, Sr., a man with an extraordinary mind, anointed voice for music, a higher calling to ministry, service in the military, and gifted abilities as a mechanic. His influence on his family, friends, and community has rarely been matched by others.

"Believe as though you are, and you will be." E. Holmes

In 1955 when Cornelius was 10 years old, he relocated with his mother and siblings from Oklahoma to California and moved in with Grandpa Scott on 124th Street in Los Angeles. The Price family joined Southwood Missionary Baptist Church and were baptized shortly thereafter by Rev. Dr. Roy Roberson. The entire family were active members at church. They sang in the choir and attended Vacation Bible School during the summers. Cornelius became well-known in the youth choir because of his musical range. As his voice developed and expanded, he was often asked to lead solos. With each performance, he strived to improve his gift, but gave the ultimate glory to God. He also taught himself how to play the piano.

Cornelius moved to Texas for his 11th grade year to live with his Aunt L. E. (Price), Uncle Horace Manuel,
Sr., and their 14 children. Cornelius was treated like a brother by his cousins. In their large family where there was an abundance of love and joking with one another. Cornelius strutted his California confidence and teased his cousins about their Texas shortcomings compared to his beloved California. His cousins also found every opportunity to tease him when something in California didn't measure up to Texas. For example, I was told there was a brand of sugar that was available in every state except California. Cornelius excelled academically, but refused to play on the school basketball team because he thought the shorts looked like they were for girls. He enjoyed looking sharp, forsaking jeans in order to wear slacks and a dress shirt to school. He loved dancing and singing and enjoyed teaching his cousins the latest moves or songs. He fancied his own handwriting and often compare his skills to his female cousins. He was a handsome young man who bragged about being as pretty as his idol, Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali. He was close to all of his cousins, but he and Herman shared a special bond. The young men spent time walking around Gainesville talking about their dreams for the future. During his high school years, he worked as a shoe shine boy in a barber shop, worked as a caddy at the local country club, and washed dishes in restaurants to earn money. He earned enough money during his senior year to pay for all of his own graduation fees and buy a new suit for the ceremony. His Aunt L. E. gifted him the book, The Science of Mind by Ernest Holmes. He credited this book with teaching him how to use his thoughts to overcome obstacles and shape any reality he desired in his life. He read this book as long as he was able to do so, and when he couldn't read for himself, his daughter Imani or nephew Troy read it to him until his death.

"Fear brings failure; faith brings success. It's just that simple." E. Holmes

In 1963, he graduated from high school and enlisted in the Infantry (11B) of the Army. His tenure in the Army was short (1 yr., 7 days), but he was successful which resulted in several promotions from E-1 to E-3 (p), awarded the Marksmanship Medal for superior shooting, and completed a 6 month tour of duty in Germany.

Following the military, Cornelius attended Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. Many people called him, "Rev. Price" because he worked tirelessly to be proficient in The Word and was eager to share what he learned. He ended his journey with preaching, but immersed himself into Gospel singing. This time he approached his singing as a true ministry. He studied each song, practiced singing it all week, and listened to recordings of himself singing after each performance. He critiqued and practiced each song to precision with the goal of singing at his best.

Professionally, Cornelius worked with Arrowhead Water as a loader in the 1960s, spent close to two decades with the City of Los Angeles as a truck driver in the department of sanitation, and lastly found success in Retail and Restaurant Management until he stopped working to focus on his health.

Cornelius was a well-known mentor, sports coach, and was called "The neighborhood father". Many young men sought him out for advice about life and improving their skills in their chosen sport. In the early 1980's, he worked with Ike Jones and successfully coached LB Poly track and field teams. Following his tenure at Poly, he moved on to coach track teams at Southwest College. In the late 1980s, he coached basketball teams that included a nationally ranked travel team. In the 1990's and early 2000s, he coached LB junior youth football teams.

His superior knowledge of automotive engineering was not easily matched. He could diagnose a car problem just by being told about the problems we were having. Most of the men (and some women) in our family credit Cornelius with their extensive knowledge of automotive repairs. Derick remembers rebuilding the engine in his Pinto; Butchie remembers replacing a water pump and clutch in that same Pinto; Kevin remembers spending weekends at Pick-A-Parts to find parts to repair his endless stream of hoopties. He even taught Sheri and Imani how to replace spark plugs and do an oil change.

"Know that nothing can hinder you but yourself. If you believe you can, you can." E. Holmes

He leaves to cherish his memories, one sister, Linda Moore (late Calvin, Jr.); 10 children – Dr. LaRay Imani Price (son Jamal), Sheri Price-McKissic (Brian), Cornelius Price, Jr., Thyshawn Price, Irene Shontae Mc Daniels, Shawanda Floyd, Rochelle Price Ficklin (Clyde), Demetrius Price, Micheal Price, and Karnelya Price; 42 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren;, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Willie and Mary Lee; his stepfather, Hamp Lee; his sisters Anna Pearl and Brenda Kay; and his brother, Larry, Sr.