Helen Coles Price

Published 10:10 pm Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Helen Coles Price, a lifelong resident of Tampa, Fla. and fifth generation Floridian, died peacefully at home on Nov. 30, 2013. She was 82.

Helen was the daughter of the late Andrew Pickens Coles of Rock Hill, S.C. and the late Emala Parkhill Coles of Tampa. She was predeceased by her husband, Charles Monroe “Deak” Price Jr.; son, Charles Monroe “Charlie” Price III, and brother, Andrew P. Coles Jr.

A graduate of Plant High School, Helen earned her BA degree from Randolph Macon Women’s College in Lynchburg, Va., where she was president of Delta Delta Delta sorority. She was a Merrymakers Club sponsor and a maid in the court of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. She married Deak in 1954 and taught elementary school before starting a family.

While raising their three sons, Helen was involved in numerous community organizations including Bayshore Little League, the Children’s Cancer Center, Easter Seals and the Junior League of Tampa, of which she served as president in 1968.

Always the life of the party, Helen was known as the matriarch of the “First Family of Fun.” She was affectionately given the title “Mother Superior” by the legions of young people whom she graciously and continuously hosted at the family’s condo in Belleair Beach, known as “Club Price,” and at their home in Tampa.

As a charter member of the “Saluda Sittin’ and Sippin’ Society,” Helen officially opened the social season in Saluda, N.C. each summer. Helen also loved to play bridge, read, travel and was an avid sports fan.

She was a member of the Tampa Yacht & Country Club, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tampa and the Church of the Transfiguration in Saluda.

She is survived by sons Pickens Coles Price (Pamela) of Tampa, Fla.; and William Ferguson Edwards Price of Asheville, N.C. and three grandchildren: Preslie Coles Price and Pickens Coles Price Jr., both of Tampa, Fla. and Bridget Sylvester Price of Asheville.

Helen also leaves behind “scores of sorry cousins” and friends who will deeply miss her spirited, one-of-a-kind personality and sense of humor.

A funeral service will be held Friday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal, 906 South Orleans Avenue, Tampa, Fla. followed by interment at Myrtle Hill Cemetery.

Serving as active pallbearers are Stewart Bertron, Tom Carte, David Crowell, Doug King, Clark Mixson and John Twomey; Honorary Pallbearers are Doug Belden, Andy Bertron, Bud Carte, Eddie Flom (deceased), Matthew Holtsinger, Kyle Holtsinger, David R. Murphey III; David R. Murphey IV; Jim Robbins, Ben Shand, Peter Shand and Dudley Taliaferro.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Helen’s memory to Easter Seals Florida Inc., 2403 E. Henry Avenue, Tampa, FL 33610 (www.easterseals.com), Children Cancer Center, 4901 W Cypress St, Tampa, FL 33607 (childrenscancercenter.org), or The Autism Society, 4340 East-West Hwy, Suite 350, Bethesda, Maryland 20814

(www.autism-society.org).