Ronald James Price, P.E. (retired)

SEBRING — Ronald J. Price, 93, died peacefully at Copeland Oaks Retirement Village in Sebring, Ohio, on Jan. 17, 2026.

In a way, Ron Price was born to be an engineer. Ron’s father, Thomas Price, was a route salesman for Goddard Bakery in nearby Chester, W.VA., and when Ron joined him at the bakery his father noticed Ron’s keen interest in how all the machines worked to produce the famous Betsy Ross brand of baked goods. Ron’s mother, Dorothy Price Golden, was a well-respected school teacher, who demanded discipline in the school room, and made sure the children learned to the best of their ability. His grandmother, Matilda “Tillie” Saltsman, a master seamstress, let Ron fix the 1903-foot trundled Montgomery Ward sewing machine even if it wasn’t broken. Ron was one of the few people in his hometown of Wellsville, Ohio that knew exactly how a sewing machine worked. And, his grandfather, Thomas Clarence Saltsman, was a skilled blacksmith that could produce miracles with steel.

Born in the small town of Wellsville, Ohio in the midst of the Great Depression, only his mother was working and being paid in script redeemable at selected grocery stores and utility’s. As he grew up, he helped his grandfather at the forge, his grandmother at sewing and loved to play with, and often fixed, those automatic bakery machines at Betsy Ross.

Graduating from Wellsville High School in 1949 with honors, the Corning Science Award, and as President of his class, he received the McCullough scholarship to The College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio, graduating in 1953 with a major in mathematics. Then on to Ohio University for his Mechanical Engineering degree in 1955 and his work toward an MBA. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Army selected him for active duty at the Corps of Engineers Training Center headquarters located in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

Ron quickly earned his Professional Engineer (P.E.) registration as an Electrical and Mechanical Engineer and became a Registered Professional Engineer in the states of Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. He was also a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers (N.S.P.E.).

Following his Army active duty, he joined Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Detroit, Mich. as an Electro-Mechanical Control Engineering Specialist. After 33 years at Westinghouse, where he progressed to V.P., O.E.M. Sales, retirement called in1992.

A retiree near age 60, still rather young, he started a consulting and motivational speaking firm working with “startup” high-tech companies. He wrote five books and several articles on his favorite subjects of high-tech sales and total quality as well as writing a Memoir, “Growing up in Wellsville” and co-authored WINNERS, a story of basketball history at The College of Wooster. He finally retired in 2016 and continued his two major passions of writing and especially golf where he carried a respectable 9 handicap at the Beaver Valley Country Club in Beaver, Pa. In 2008, he reached his golfing goal of finally shooting his age — 75 at Beaver Valley.

Ron was a two-term Alumni Board of Trustees member at his Alma Mater, The College of Wooster, where he worked in various financial campaigns. In 2003, chairing his class of 1953 50th anniversary campaign, the class raised $9,200,000.00 for the college, a record at the time. Ron received the “John D. McKee” Distinguished Alumni Award from the college that same year and was elected President of his class.

Ron served on countless non-profit corporate boards in Beaver, Pa., Wooster, Ohio and in his hometown of Wellsville. He was very proud of his membership in the Wellsville High School Scholarship Committee, which started with less than $50,000 in 1989 and in 2020 reached an endowment of over $1,000,000 while awarding $1,056,900 to 392 different Wellsville High School graduates during that period of time. Ron also initiated and chaired Housing Opportunities of Beaver County, a non-profit corporation dedicated to providing education, financing and counseling help to low-income families seeking to purchase their own homes.

Ron is survived by five children, Penny Price Gourley of Waynesville, Ohio, Debbie Lynn Price of Centerville, Ohio, Amy Inge Giglio of Hilton Head, S.C., Richard Inge and Greg Inge of Beaver, Pa.; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

His wife of 44 years, Phyllis E. Price, died of Alzheimer’s in March of 2002 and his wife of 20 years, Beverely I. Price, died unexpectedly in July of 2024.

Visitation will be from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, at the First Presbyterian Church, 436 E. Second St., Salem, Ohio. A funeral service will follow at noon with a reception to follow in the fellowship hall. Burial will be in the Beaver Cemetery, Beaver, Pa.

The family asks that memorials be in the form of donations to The College of Wooster, THE OFFICE OF ANNUAL GIVING, 1189 Beall Avenue, Wooster, Ohio 44691.

Arrangements are being handled by Stark Memorial Funeral Home.

If unable to attend, send a complimentary “Hugs from Home” at www.starkmemorial.com/hugs-from-home.

To view Ron’s obituary, send condolences or order flowers, visit www.starkmemorial.com.

1/20/26