Dr. David Pemberton Price

Dr. David Pemberton Price, age 63, peacefully passed away on June 12, 2023 in Pittsboro, North Carolina while surrounded by his family.
He leaves behind his beloved wife, Melody Marsalis Price; daughter Meredith Lee Price, son-in-law Michael Fleming; daughter Mollie Elizabeth Cannady, son-in-law Jim Cannady, grandchildren Temple and Palmer Cannady; son Marshall David Price, daughter-in-law Anne Price; brother Danny Price, sister-in-law Debbie Price, niece Natalie Price, nephews Brandon and Dillion Price; brother-in-law Pete Marsalis (Amy), nieces Reese and Halle Marsalis; brother-in-law Chris Marsalis (Joyce), niece Eden Hall; and mother-in-law Betty Jo Marsalis. He was predeceased by his father-in-law, William Carroll Marsalis, and his parents, Elma and Charlie Price.
Dr. Price was born in Indiana on December 27, 1959 and raised in Kingston, Tennessee. He lived on Peachtree Lane, where he met his wife Melody, a resident of the same street. The two were high school sweethearts at Roane County High School who married during college. He graduated first in his class at the University of Tennessee (1982), and went on to attend dental school at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1986).
In 1988 he and Melody moved to Lillington, where he opened his dental practice. For over thirty years he proudly provided quality dentistry to his patients and community. As a dentist, he was known for his gentle hand and stoic demeanor. David was a longtime member of Buies Creek First Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon, and Memorial Baptist Church in Buies Creek. He was also a member of the Lillington Kiwanis Club.
David's great passions in life were his family, his faith, and fishing.
David loved to fish and be outdoors. An avid fly-fisherman, he often made his own lures. Exploring the sunlit woods of Raven Rock, in connection with nature and God, made him joyful. He also had a particular love for the rivers and streams of the Great Smoky Mountains. In the last summer of his life, David bought a small boat. He and Melody enjoyed many days out on Shearon Harris lake, where he would catch and release small fish.
David was a stalwart father, grandfather, and husband. A quiet man of fierce determination, his devotion to his family was evident in his long fight against his cancer. After being diagnosed in 2019, he continuously defied odds by outliving many medical predictions. His family is forever grateful for his determined spirit.
David's life was an embodiment of his faith. One of David's favorite scriptures, Psalm 46, verse 4, says "[t]here is a river whose streams make glad the City of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells." He experienced his love of God as the ever-flowing peace of deep spiritual trust. He lived from a place of humility, forgiveness, and unconditional love. To know him was a profound blessing.
A private graveside service will be held at the Buies Creek Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, David asked that donations be made to Mama Melanie's The Underground Railroad Ministry (via check c/o Melanie Stewart, PO Box 42, Kipling NC 27543) or Friends Fighting Cancer (PO Box 2265, Dunn NC 28335 or at http://friendsfightingcancerharnett.org/).
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