IN REMEMBRANCE
IN REMEMBRANCE : RENITA PRICE , MD JAN . 16 , 1956-JAN . 24 , 2021
On Sunday Jan . 24 , 2020 , the pediatric community suddenly lost one of its own , Dr . Renita Kaye Durham Price . She was known to her colleagues , her patients and family as a compassionate , competent pediatrician , mother and grandmother . Renita had celebrated her 65th birthday with her family just eight days before .
She was the only child of John Reid Durham and
Rebecca Azalea Durham of Yosemite , Casey County , Kentucky . Both were educators who grounded Renita in her love for knowledge , evidenced by her annual attendance at the Kentucky Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics meeting . Mr . Durham had been stationed at Pearl Harbor when Japan attacked and was a school principal . Mrs . Durham was an English teacher . Renita graduated from Middleburg High School , attended Somerset Community College , then the University of Kentucky . Accepted at the University of Louisville School of Medicine , Renita soon changed her allegiance from Big Blue Country to the Louisville Cardinals . Her staff and many of her patients well remember her black and red Louisville Cardinal attire in the office on her beloved GAME DAYS !!!!
Having met the first love of her life in elementary school in Casey County , Renita married Gregory Lee Price on June 18 , 1977 during the first year of medical school . She completed her pediatric residency as one of Billy ’ s ( Andrews ) girls at UofL in June 1983 and did a fellowship in critical care . This led to her work in the emergency departments at Baptist East , Norton Children ’ s and Norton Women and Children ’ s hospitals . The staff at the EDs soon became like family , and she served the children in the community with compassion .
Renita had many interests and talents . Music was one of them . She was an excellent pianist , playing from 9 years of age . She would sit at her baby grand playing her favorite classical music by Beethoven . She transferred her love of music to her three children : Matthew ( piano , trumpet and drums ), Marcus ( piano ), and Margeaux ( voice ). Her spectrum of musical genres was unusual , from classical to Diana Krall ( jazz pianist , vocalist ) to the local Louisville group Mama Said , a four-piece string band that blends Bluegrass and folk . Love of gardening would be one of her other interests , perhaps drawn from her own mom ’ s middle name “ Azalea .” In fact , her daughter Margeaux recently found on her mother ’ s desk the list of flowers that Renita was planning to put in the garden this spring . Those flowers will be planted by family and friends as soon as weather permits .
Renita and Greg were avid fans of UofL sports , at one time having season tickets to both football and men ’ s basketball . Greg passed away in October 2003 . At football , Greg and Renita had been seated immediately behind James Balmer Wolff and his wife . After the passing of Jim ’ s wife , Renita and Jim then began a relationship that resulted in her marrying the second love of her life on Sept . 2 , 2006 . Of course the wedding would take place in her beloved home
Dr . Price was a GLMS member for 36 years .
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