Hassell Hampton Price Jr., of Blacksburg, died peacefully Mar. 26, three days after turning 94. He was the son of Hassell Hampton Sr. and Ruby (Linkous) Price and the brother of James Gideon. He served his country as a Navy Radarman aboard the USS Jeffers from ‘51 to ‘55 during the Korean War. He returned home with the quiet strength and steady character that would define him.
In 1961, he married the love of his life, Judy (Wells). They met at Stone’s Drive-in when Judy’s sister Sue beckoned Hassell to join them in their car, calling him “preacher” because he was dressed in a suit and tie. He served the community he loved through his career with the USPS. In 1967, their son Matthew Hampton was born. They went to church, spent weekends with the grandparents, and traveled to Myrtle Beach. He was a low-handicap bowler, tended to a manicured yard, and maintained long friendships.
In 1999, he was the best man at Matt’s wedding to Jenny (Ferry). In 2001, when Judy died, he was brokenhearted. But he resumed traveling on bus tours with other widowers and crossed off a bucket-list trip to Alaska with Matt, Jenny, Sue, and her husband, Buren. He lived alone but met a breakfast group daily and drove safely until the age of 93. He will be missed by many and welcomed to glory with open arms by countless.
Funeral services were conducted Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2026 at Westview Cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2026 at McCoy Funeral Home.
