Gertrude M. Price

Gertrude Mary Price (nee Hamada), 100, passed away peacefully on January 31, 2021 while living in Fredericksburg, VA. Born in Sicklerville, NJ on Dec 15, 1920, Gertrude moved to Pleasantville while a child. She graduated from PHS in 1939 and worked in Atlantic City on the boardwalk five-and-ten cafeteria counter.

Gertrude was the daughter of Mary and Ichi Hamada of Pleasantville, NJ. She had 2 brothers and 5 sisters who all predeceased her. Gertrude lived many places while her husband served in the military. When Leroy was stationed overseas Gertrude would return to Pleasantville, NJ to stay with her mother.

She married Leroy B. Price on November 12, 1942 while he was stationed in Mississippi and serving in the US Army Air Corps. As a young pilot, and because of WWII, Gertie and Leroy moved frequently all over the US. Eventually an assignment at the Pentagon in Washington DC in the early 60’s brought Gertie and Leroy to make DC their permanent home.

Gertrude never worked outside the home while Leroy was living. When he passed away in January 1981, she eventually went to work as a sales consultant for Elizabeth Arden skin care. This was a job she loved and she was very good at it. She took pride in her counter, keeping correct books, and being a good brand ambassador. She even won a cruise once, for having an exceptionally profitable sales year. She made many friends at work – from those with whom she worked and even her customers.

She volunteered her whole life, and for many years she was a volunteer at the Walter Reed Army Hospital information desk. It was work she loved to do and they counted on her punctuality, knowledge and resourcefulness. She also was a volunteer with Army Community Service for many years. And she was a long standing member of The Society of Military Widows – even serving on the board a few times.

Gertrude loved having her many nieces and nephews come to visit and many often did. She and Leroy took their niece, Diane, back and forth to Alabama while Diane was in college because her parents had moved away while her father was still in the military. They were like second parents to Diane.

She loved to play board and card games and would often play penny poker with the nieces and nephews and her sisters while visiting them in New Jersey. She and Leroy both played Scrabble and Password. Gertrude was a lot of fun to be around, and passed on her knowledge of skin care and make up to anyone who asked.

She was always taking care of herself – she watched what she ate and exercised regularly. She had a stationary bike that she rode until a broken hip injury prevented her from doing so.  Her favorite indulgence was McDonald’s fries. She absolutely loved going to McDonald’s and getting a large box of fries. When going out to lunch, her standard at any diner (she loved diners as well) was a BLT, Fries, and coffee. Always lots of coffee.

She was an avid reader of the “Washington Post” and had it delivered daily. Because of that, she always knew what was happening in and around DC. Every time her family came to visit, she would take them somewhere interesting in DC – museums, shopping, restaurants.

First and foremost, like her own brothers and sisters, family was top priority. She had many acquaintances but fewer real friends. Her friends were her sisters and brothers and she loved calling them on the phone to catch up. She called regularly and kept those relationships very close in her heart. Family – it was everything.

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