Vida Tucker Prince

Prince, Vida “Sister” Tucker Goldman of St. Louis, Missouri died peacefully on June 23, 2024 at the age of 91. Born in 1933 to adoring parents Myron Goldman and Vida Tucker Goldman. After the untimely early death of her father, Mrs. Prince’s mother married Lawrence Goldman, MD, a devoted stepfather. Predeceased by her brother, Myron Goldman, she was the dear wife of Ronald Stanford Prince (deceased) for 61 years. Loving mother to their three children: Patricia Francis Prince Slosburg (Daniel), Ronald Stanford Prince, jr. (deceased), and Susan Prince Barron (Steven). Grandmother to Tucker Joseph Slosburg (Krista Nelson), Grace Leah Slosburg, Samuel Prince Slosburg, Zachary Elliot Barron (Steph), Maxwell Prince Barron (Hillary), Blair Jacqueline Prince, Ronald Stanford Prince III (deceased), and Tess Prince Harris (Michael). Great grandmother to Oriah, Adira, Shael, Mollie, Charlie, and Annie.

As a young woman in St. Louis Mrs. Prince volunteered as a swim instructor for blind children and helped teach reading to children in the St. Louis City schools. She continued her one-on-one community volunteer service first at the St. Louis Holocaust Center (St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum) and then at the Missouri Historical Society.

Mrs. Prince began her volunteer work at the Holocaust Center in 1979. In addition to acting as a docent for the museum, she helped develop the St. Louis Holocaust Museum’s Oral History Project. In the early days she would drive survivors to schools and churches where they would reveal, many for the first time, their personal trauma in the midst of strangers. Afterwards, when the speaking engagement had concluded, Mrs. Prince always provided a compassionate “soft- landing” for the survivors. In addition, Mrs. Prince was gentle, understanding, and gifted at listening intently to each survivor’s testimony—a master at providing the time and grace for them to safely recall their stark memories. Mrs. Prince cared deeply for each person she interviewed and held their stories close to her heart. She recently underwrote part of the current St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Center’s website so that The Oral History Project would be available for all to access on a digital platform.

In the early 1990’s, Mrs. Prince initiated an oral history project at the St. Louis Historical Society. She wanted this work to focus on the history of racism in St. Louis and decided to reach out to African Americans who had grown up in the Mill Creek neighborhood. The interviews she obtained revealed the harsh reality of segregation for African Americans living in St. Louis during the 20th century. This oral history work culminated in a book, “The Way It Was: Stories of Struggle, Survival and Self-Respect in Twentieth Century Black St. Louis” published in 2013. As a first person primary source, this book provided a faithful transcription from thirteen of the men and women Mrs. Prince interviewed. The artist, Damon Davis, included a few quotes from this book for his St. Louis permanent public art installation, Pillars of the Valley.

In 2013 Mrs. Prince was honored as a St. Louis Woman of Achievement in the area of Multicultural Leadership.

We extend our deepest gratitude for the gentle daily care of Mrs. Prince by Veronica Lewis, Chikondi Hickman, Tammy Lavendar, Diane Starks, and Winnie Njoroge. In addition, we are grateful for the kind and thoughtful care from BJC Hospice.

Graveside service is private. Please contact a family member to attend a reception on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 in honor of Mrs. Prince.

In lieu of flowers, tributes in her memory may be made to the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum or to a charity of one’s choice.