John P. Price

John P. Price

86, of Indianapolis, a prominent attorney and civic leader, passed away on February 19, 2016. He was born in Garrett, Ind., on Oct. 21, 1929 to parents John P. and Beulah Price. The family lived in Butler, Ind., until 1945, when they moved to Upland, Ind., where he graduated from high school in 1947. John graduated from Butler University cum laude in 1951 and from the Indiana University School of Law with high distinction in 1954, attaining the highest scholastic average to that date in the history of the Indianapolis division of the law school. He was a member of the Order of Coif, the national legal scholastic society, and associate editor of the I.U. Law Journal.

John began practicing law with the Indianapolis firm of Hollowell, Hamill & Price, but his career was interrupted by service in the U.S. Army. Upon the deaths of his law partners, he merged his practice and became a senior partner and, later, managing partner with Bingham Summers Welsh & Spilman (now Bingham Greenewald Doll), where he specialized in probate and appellate matters. John handled numerous appeals, including a number of high-profile cases before the Indiana Supreme Court, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and even the U.S. Supreme Court. John was a member for many years - and president in 1980 -- of the Indiana State Board of Law Examiners, which oversees the Indiana bar examination.

For several decades, John was active in the YMCA at every level: international, national, state and local. In 1970, he was elected to the international presidency of the Y's Men's Club (now Y's Men's and Women's Club) in Copenhagen, Denmark. In this capacity, he led the organization to become the first international service club to admit women as full members with men. He also established a Y's Men's Day of Fast through which millions of dollars have been raised for international projects for people in need. Before and after his international presidency, John was board chairman of the Eastside (now Ransburg) YMCA in Indianapolis, president of the Indiana State YMCA, and a board member of the Fall Creek YMCA. Throughout his work with the YMCA, he was a leader in the civil rights programs of the organization. In 2007, the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis presented him with its highest award, the Lifetime Achievement Award.

No account of John's life would be complete without mentioning his lifelong passion for the Chicago Cubs. An avid fan, he attended hundreds of games at Wrigley Field beginning in the 1930s.

His civic activities included serving as a long-time board member of the Church Federation of Greater Indianapolis, past president of the Lawrence Lions Club, and a member of the Brookside Masonic Lodge, the Indianapolis Valley of Scottish Rite, where he was Thrice Potent Master in 1970. He was a member of the Murat Shrine and received the 33rd Scottish Rite Degree in 1972.

John was a member of Allisonville Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis and First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Naples., Fla., where he and his wife of 62 years, Joy, enjoyed a winter home for many years. He served on the Week of Compassion Committee for the National Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for several years. He also was a member of the Society of Indiana Pioneers.

In addition to his wife, Joy G. (Scheck) Price, John is survived by their three sons: Nelson, Jeffrey (Mary, deceased) and David (Debbie). He also is survived by his grandchildren: Emily and Mitchell Price and Neil and Perry Wright. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, William D. Price.

Visitation will be at Friday, February 26, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Shirley Brothers Fishers - Castleton Chapel, 9900 Allisonville Road. A memorial service will be Saturday Feb. 27, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at Allisonville Christian Church, 7701 Allisonville Rd. Internment at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Allisonville Christian Church or the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis. www.shirleybrothers.com