Corkey Price

Ivan LeRoy “Corkey” Price was born on his parents’ farm in Hillsdale KS on March 26, 1931. Friends and neighbors came to visit the new baby boy and someone exclaimed, “Well, if he isn’t a little ‘corker!’” From that moment, the nickname “Corkey” stayed with him for 91 years. Corkey was the son of William “Bill” Price and Ruth Ila Gall Price and joined his older siblings: a brother, Raymond and a sister, Rowene. Their formative years were spent on the farm in Hillsdale KS, and then when Corkey became middle school age, the family moved to Paola KS. He grew up helping on the farm and loved tinkering with motorized bikes and cars with his Dad and Brother. As a young man, Corkey gained an appreciation for music. He played with friends in various bands and groups in the area. His love for music continued with him throughout his life and he always had a melody in his heart. As a young man, Corkey worked out in the field as a surveyor for the Miami County engineering office in Paola KS. While in the office, he occasionally glanced across the hallway and noticed a young woman who would sometimes return his glance. He finally worked up enough nerve to ask her out on a Saturday night date. She turned him down. She already had a date. He was persistent. Finally, the answer was YES! She agreed to go out with him the next Saturday night. Back in the day, it was common for families to plan a trip into town on a Saturday night for visiting, shopping and to attend the local picture show! Ruth Rader’s family was no exception. Ruth’s mom and dad, Wilbur and Blanche Booze Rader drove her to meet Corkey in Paola and their first date was at the Paola picture show. After their first date, they were inseparable. On May 14, 1950, Corkey married Ruth Elaine, the first love of his life. After a honeymoon at the Lake of Ozarks, and a visit to Bridal Cave, they started their married life in an apartment in Paola. When the landlord did not approve of a pet dog for Ruth, the couple moved to a home off of Hwy 68. Initially, Corkey pursued a vocation in sales at International Harvester and drove a rock truck for Miami County. His sales background, positive approach, and friendly demeanor with people, shaped his working years throughout his life. Corkey never knew a stranger and folks were comfortable with him from the very start, after meeting him. The birth of their first child, Janice Ruth occurred in the Fall of 1951. The family moved to 160 acres by Bethel Church where Corkey took up farming and caring for the landlord’s cattle. Over the next few years Corkey worked at Beatles Ford Motor Company in Baldwin KS and opened an ice cream business, the Dairy Ring. The Dairy Ring served the Baldwin community for 3 years. A story told throughout the years centered around little Janice sneaking samples out of the hot fudge container! Eventually, they sold the restaurant to one of their employee’s parents. In 1956, they moved to Wellsville KS which became the place where they raised their family. In town, they lived in a two story house and then moved their Baldwin home over to the empty lot next door. The family grew in this home to include daughters: Donna Lea in 1959 and Mary Ann in 1961. He was always proud of his three girls. The family was Christ centered and became members of the Wellsville Baptist Church. Corkey was a member of the Church for over 30 years and served the Lord with gifts of time and talent. For many years, he was Moderator of the Church and served as a Deacon. He served the Church with his love of music. He sang with the Deaconaires Quartet, while Ruth accompanied them on the piano. The Deaconaires Quartet continued from 1970 to March of 1980, the year of Ruth’s passing. Although Corkey was making a living selling cars in Wellsville, his heart was pulling him to the country. The family purchased 80 acres in Franklin County. The property included an old school house they remodeled into their family home. Besides farming the land, they pursued an interest in raising cattle. Other houses and land purchases followed. Along the way, Corkey and Ruth milked 27 head of dairy cows (Grade A) out of a dairy barn that was in Leloup KS. They purchased property and built a home west of Leloup. It was 80 acres by the railroad track and notable for two reasons: Donna raised and cared for a show cow by the name of Lady, and on one fine day, Lady was spooked, and while Corkey tried to contain the cow, it drug him through a muddy old pond. After he came out of the pond and mud, Corkey couldn’t decide who looked worse: the show cow or him! At this home site, Corkey and Ruth started their Angus herd and he belonged to the Registered Angus Association. When reminiscing about their successful Angus herd and auctions, Corkey never failed to mention his prized registered bulls’ names: Amon and Blabby. Again, after a few years, they were on the move again, purchased 40 acres southeast of Wellsville, built another home, and a barn. Corkey and Ruth put a lot of time and effort staging auctions in this barn and Donna and Mary Ann showed Registered Angus cattle at all the county fairs in the area, and ultimately, showed at the Kansas State Fair. A couple of notable entries were Mary Ann’s steer, Charlie, and Donna’s heifer, Lady (#28). Corkey was very active in his church and the Wellsville community. He served on the Wellsville School Board from 1972 to 1980 and was elected President for one year. Corkey was so happy he could serve while Donna and Mary Ann were in high school and relished the year Mary Ann graduated, when as President of the Board in 1979, he had the great honor of handing his daughter, Mary Ann, her diploma. While on the 40 acre property, Corkey and Ruth sold 10 acres to Ken Haussler and they built another new home on the remaining 30 acres. This property had oil and gas on the land and he ran natural gas lines from the wells over to the house for heat. One of his fondest memories of this Wellsville property was hosting Mary Ann’s wedding on the outside lawn. During this time, Corkey’s farming and cattle operation grew to 1,190 acres comprised of 690 acres on the Hostetter Estate, 180 acres rented from Jay Johnson and 80 acres from Cliff and Dema Pope. He ran cattle on 160 acres off of Rantoul and Vermont Road and farmed 80 acres from Jess and Eunice Melton. Over the years, Corkey and Ruth purchased many cars and tractors. Corkey always had an eye out for nice cars and loved to make deals and new friends! His brother, Raymond, enjoyed going with him to find the cars, but the family was always skeptical about what color of car they would bring home. On one occasion, they brought home a new purchase that they thought was the color gray, but turned out to be pink! Yes, by his own admission, Corkey was a bit color blind! Corkey loved to take his family camping to Table Rock Lake. On most occasions, Raymond’s family, including his wife Nadine, and children Ronnie, Linda and Connie would accompany them. The families grew quite close, and the cousins have always enjoyed spending time together. On March 7, 1980, Corkey lost Ruth to a sudden heart attack. She was his soul mate and best friend. He felt like he had lost everything, but with the help of his Lord and Savior, and daughters, Corkey’s heart gradually healed enough to continue with the farm with help from his Brother and the rest of the family. After just a couple of years, he retired from farming, sold the property and the farm implements. The year 1987 brought new love into his life and Corkey was united in marriage to Jean Mardis. Up until his passing, Jean and Corkey have remained very close, supportive of each other and special soul mates. With his marriage to Jean, Corkey became a stepfather to Eric, Lori and Chuck Mardis. Through the years, several grandchildren came along from both of his marriages. Corkey and Jean built a home in Desota KS. During this time, he worked at Builders Square on 95th street in Kansas City KS. As always, with his positive attitude and handy work ethic, Corkey was a hit with the store manager and he made many friends from the employees and customers he worked with over the five years. Corkey and Jean left Desota and moved to Grove OK on Grand Lake of the Cherokee. He loved to boat and fish with his good friend John Sink. They perfected the art of jug fishing for blue catfish, hooked and cleaned thousands of pounds of fish over the years. His legacy of jug fishing was passed on to his children and grandchildren. It was during his time at Grand Lake that Corkey’s skill as an inventor, the ability to fix machinery, and do home improvements, manifested into experimenting with his pontoon boat. He always felt there was too much drag on both pontoons and perhaps there was a way to elevate the pontoons when the boat was underway. After trying several different materials, and building a framework under the boat, his patented invention, Pontoon Water Glide was born. It eventually evolved into a one piece, fiberglass glide that was easily mounted as an aftermarket product for later model pontoon boats. The business was eventually purchased by his daughter, Donna, and her husband, Trent and fiberglass glides were sold throughout the United States and Canada. Up until just recently, after the business was sold to an outside party, Corkey continued to receive royalty payments from the sales of Water Glides. His fishing buddy, John, and his wife Laquita, became steadfast friends with Corkey and Jean. Over a ten year period, the couples traveled to Texas for the winters. Corkey always looked forward to those trips and time spent playing (jamming) with his fellow musicians from different parts of the country. They made many lasting friendships. Several more homes followed. Corkey loved the construction business and several of the new homes were built in Princeton KS where Corkey was elected and served on the City council for a brief time. As Corkey entered his twilight years, he felt the need to be closer to services a town like Ottawa KS had to offer. For the past several years he has resided on S Mulberry Street, where again, true to his friendly and optimistic disposition, he met and became close friends with his neighbors. Always loving the Lord, and again, giving of his time and talent, Corkey wrote music, played the guitar and sang for the congregation and community at large. Corkey Price, salesman, entrepreneur, farmer, inventor, musician, AND fisherman extraordinaire will be missed by all who had the pleasure of meeting this husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, second great grandfather and faithful friend. Survivors include his three daughters, Janice Price Tucker (spouse Rob Tucker), Camdenton MO; Donna Price Burkdoll (spouse Trent Burkdoll), Rantoul KS; Mary Ann Price, Rantoul KS; eight grandchildren: Micki Tucker Bainter, Justin Altic (Alisha), Amanda Wadkins (Justin), Elizabeth Tucker, Jeremy Altic (Laura), Andrew Nitcher (Jill), Robbie (Lauren) Tucker, Zachary Zentz; fifteen great grandchildren: Jonathan Tucker, Lane Altic, Austin Nitcher, Brock Wadkins, Allison Nitcher, Kyla Keisler Altic, Will Altic, Ashlynn Altic, Braxton Wadkins, Brady Wadkins, Adrian Zentz, Chloe Gray, Dylan Nitcher, Zoey Zentz, and Ada Tucker. Jean Mardis and his three stepchildren, Lori Bynum (Glenn), Eric Mardis (Rebecca), Chuck Mardis (Cathy). Step grandchildren, Shaun Thomas, Heather Williams (Chase), Eli Mardis, Laz Mardis, Ava Mardis, Daniel Mardis, Jason Mardis, Tyler Mardis, Allison Finnegan (Brain), Clint Burkdoll (Pri), Chad Burkdoll, Sandra Burkdoll. PLUS great and second great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Ruth Rader Price, parents, William “Bill” Price and Ruth Ila Gall Price, brother, Raymond Price, sister, Rowene Cooper, and son-in-law, Frank Mastel. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Ottawa or the Wellsville Baptist Church through Dengel & Son Mortuary–Crematory, 235 S Hickory Street, Ottawa KS 66067. Visitation at First Baptist Church Ottawa KS, Friday June 3, 2022, 12:00–1:30 PM Funeral Service 2:00 PM Interment will be held at the Wellsville Cemetery.