Margaret Louise Bassett Price

Published 3:00 am Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Margaret Louise Bassett Price went peacefully to her heavenly home Saturday, June 23, 2018. A family graveside service honoring her will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 26, 2018, at Oakwood Cemetery with the Reverend Dave Kirby officiating and Dillard Funeral Home of Troy directing.

She was born December 18, 1918, to John William and Frances Arraday Harris Bassett. Her grandparents were John Henry and Sarah Ellafair Meredith Bassett and James Edward and Elizabeth Mooney Harris. She is also preceded in death by her siblings, Randal Leighton Bassett, Julian Morris Bassett (Neiva), Robert Gordon Bassett, John William (Mary) Bassett, Ouida Frances (Wyman) Harris, Sara Olene (Lamar) Floyd, Ewell Lamar (Eleanor) Bassett, James Edward (Nell) Bassett, Lawrence Duane Bassett and Mary Jeanette Renfroe Rowell.

She is survived by her children, Wesley David (Suzanne) Price, Charlotte Frances (William) Davis, Marsha (James Wesley “Bo” [deceased]) Gaylard and Lt. Col. Ret. William Jefferson (Sandra [deceased]) Price; grandchildren, David Loizeaux (Carolyn) Price, Theodore Bassett (Billie Jean) Price, Mark Thomas (Catherine) Davis, Jeffrey William Davis, Juli-Anna (Bill) Lavers, Wesley O’Neal (Jenny) Gaylard, Michael Derek (Melissa) Gaylard, Elisabeth Anne (Jeff) Habel, Sara Catherine (Ed) Habel and 16 great-grandchildren.

She was a graduate of Pike County High School, Troy State University and Emory Theological Seminary. She had the distinction of being the first woman ordained into the ministry in the Alabama/West Florida Conference of the Methodist Church and was the first woman to deliver the opening convocation for the State of Alabama Legislature. She served several churches in Alabama and in Pensacola, Florida. During her career, she also taught English in the Pensacola public schools.

Her greatest joy was serving her Lord and Savior in many lay and professional positions of the church, nurturing her four children and developing mutually enriching relationships with her many friends and students.