John L. Price Sr.

JOHN L. PRICE, SR.      Born in Weimar, Texas in 1934, died Tuesday in Houston of an apparent heart attack. He was 68.      John L. was also known as head bartender for The Confederate House Restaurant for 44 years. In 1954 the young track star at Texas Southern University landed his part time job as bartender helper for Gordon Edge who had opened the Confederate House in a small house on San Felipe. This ambitious young man cleared tables, polished glasses and apprenticed under George Crowder, all the while remembering favorite drinks of multitude of customers. Those customers would drop by to visit "John L" and years later their children and their grandchildren think of John L. as a friend.      Those friends read like the who's who of Houston and included mayors, governors, bankers, cattlemen, oilmen and newspapermen. Of that era, John L. said, "They either all had an oil well or were trying to get one." When the Bush library was designated to be at Texas A&M College, President George H. Bush invited "John L" to coordinate the spirits for the dedication ceremonies.      In 1990 John L. Price was awarded the National Hall of Fame Award, Sponsored by Seagrams and was presented with a gold Super Bowl ring of the 40 hall of famers, he was the only Texas bartender recognized.      Mayor Bob Lanier proclaimed August 29, 1997 as John L. Price day, on that day he retired.      John L. Price inspired friends with his devoted interest in teaching children the importance of Texas History, The One Hundred Club and Professional Sports.      So now he's gone....but gone from our sight is all. There are other eyes watching his coming, taking up the happy shout, "Here he comes". Let's all look forward to seeing him again.      Funeral Details: Visitation Monday September 1, 2003 @ 8pm, Johnson Funeral Home, 5730 Calhoun. Services Tuesday 11:00a.m., Mt. Horeb Baptist Church, 118 W. Gray. Burial: Cemetery Beautiful, 8491 Wheatley.      Pallbearers: Doyle Burley, Kelsonic (Nick) Price, J. Byron Burley, Darrell Burley, Lee Ivery, Neal Parker, Stephan Price, Willie Price. Honorary Pallbearers: K. S. (Bud) Adams, Joe L. Allbritton, Colbert (Bud) Baker, Craig Cullinen, John S. (Dow) Dunn, Bill Edge, Horace Jones, George Sledge, Frank Sloan, H. Ben Taub, Henry J. N. Taub, and Cedric Turner.