Kyle Canjar & Beren AkpinarShe faced an awful dilemma following her husband's death. What will I do with 50 guitars, amplifiers, soundboards, and enough music books to fill a music store? The basement was "stuffed with stuff." This is his life, and I have to sell or get rid of this, thought Pam Price. Upon further reflection she asked herself, "What can I do to honor his life?"
It was his love for the Lord and music that first attracted Pam to her husband, Lee Price. They met at Flint's AC/Delphi plant, married and moved to Davison where Pam was born and raised.
"Lee loved music and you could hardly see him without a guitar in his hand," Pam recalled. "He took classes at the Flint Institute of Music, and anything he could learn more in music, he would. He could make music out of any instrument in his hand."
Over the years Lee built a cherished collection of guitars, equipment and music books. The couple, comfortable homebodies who were not interested in travel, enjoyed sitting in the backyard with an 8-track tape deck with Lee strumming the guitar. Pam especially enjoyed hearing him play the Les Paul guitar she had bought him before they married.
As members of the Davison United Methodist Church, Pam and Lee were accustomed to tithing, and gave to other charities as well. The couple's philanthropic values were rooted by Pam's parents and their faith.
Lee's would ask everyone, "Do you know Jesus?" He evangelized to everyone they encountered and played guitar in a local praise band. In July 2005, Lee died suddenly leaving Pam with an enormous collection of instruments and a lifetime of wonderful memories.
Pam's sister connected her to the Community Foundation as a way to preserve her husband's legacy. Pam established the Lee Price Fund. The endowment will forever benefit instrumental music students at the Flint Institute of Music.
"What more Christian purpose can I do than helping someone who cannot afford music lessons," said Pam. "As Lee would say, 'That's a message from Jesus. You just hang on to that.' "