Harold Marcus Price

“Hal”

Hal Price, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, as well as distinguished physician, researcher and medical educator, passed away on March 17, 2014 at St. Agnes Hospital in Fresno at the age of 83. He was born on August 24, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois to Mina and Abe Price.

Hal received his Bachelor of Arts degree and his Doctor of Medicine degree (1957) from the University of Southern California. He then completed a residency program in pathology at the University Hospitals of Cleveland and a post doctoral fellowship at the Brain Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

From 1962-1967, Hal served in the Army where he specialized in neuromuscular diseases at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington, D.C., receiving an Army Commendation Medal for his service. He then became the Chief of Surgical Pathology and Director of the Electron Microscopy Laboratory at Magee Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During that time, he was an Associate Professor of Pathology with tenure at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Upon moving to California, Hal practiced at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

In 1976, Hal and his family arrived in Fresno where he would stay for the next 38 years. He became the Director of Pathology and eventual Chief of the Laboratory at Valley Medical Center in Fresno, California. He was also an associate clinical professor of pathology for the UC San Francisco School of Medicine and served a stint as the President of the VMC Medical Staff. Hal’s extensive background in the field of electron microscopy led to the acquisition of the first electron microscope in the Fresno area.

Hal was also a very active member of the Fresno community. He served as president of Temple Beth Israel, and after his retirement was a member of the Fresno County Civil Grand Jury for two years and was appointed to serve on the Measure C Oversight Committee. Hal relished his time spent with family, friends and his "mensch group" - local men who enjoyed "kibbitzing" during a good meal.

Hal was fortunate to have two wonderful marriages -- first to Loretta Ann Price (who passed away in 1998 after 44 years of marriage) and presently to Miriam Allen Price for eight years. Hal is survived by Miriam and his four children: Susan Kaplan and her husband Jonathan of Thousand Oaks, Melinda Price and her fiancé Chanse Moody of Culver City, Kathy Yarmo and her husband Dan of Fresno, and Kenneth Price and his wife Stephanie, also of Fresno. Hal was a loving grandfather to Andy and Sam Kaplan, Lily Yarmo, and Leo and Ari Price.

Graveside Services will be held at Beth Israel Cemetery, 1701 W. Belmont on Thurs. March 29, 2014 at 10:00 am. Luncheon to follow at Temple Beth Israel.

Any remembrances may be sent to Temple Beth Israel at 6622 N. Maroa Ave. Fresno, CA 93711 or the B'Nai B'rith Student Athlete Awards at 2006 S. Mary Fresno, CA 93721. Hal will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues.

Hal will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues.