Rita Lawrence Price, 82, of Statesville, N.C., passed away unexpectedly Thursday, October 16, 2025, at her home. She was born in Rock, W.Va., to Ryan Lawrence Sr. and Ruby Pettrey Lawrence.
Rita and family lived in Troutman for a number of years. She was a member of Troutman Baptist Church prior to moving to Statesville.
On April 8, 1962, she married her husband James Price, who preceded her in death August 21, 2024.
Rita held various jobs before finding her career. She worked for 33 years for the Iredell-Statesville School system, as Cafeteria Manager for Troutman Elementary School and Lake Norman High School, where she retired.
Rita loved her family, cooking, Abby (her dog) and shopping.
She loved spending time with her son Brian and daughter-in-law Nikki, and she doted on her granddaughter Ava.
She enjoyed shopping for gifts for others. Her gifts were always personalized to the receiver. She loved browsing in stores even if it took several trips to find the perfect gift.
Her dog Abby was her precious companion. She was adamant about keeping her groomed and keeping vet visits up to date, and she cooked her dog’s meals daily. Abby ate well!
She is survived by her son, Brian Price; daughter-in-law, Nikki Price; and granddaughter, Ava Price, all of Madison, N.C.; brothers, Ryan Lawrence Jr. of Rock, W.Va., and Arlie (Pat) Lawrence of Greenville, N.C.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Frank Lawrence and James Lawrence.
Services for Rita will be held Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at Troutman Funeral Home Chapel in Troutman. Visitation will be from 1 until 2 p.m. followed by a Celebration of Life service at 2 p.m. Brian Price and David Hanes will be officiating. Interment will follow at Oakwood Cemetery in Statesville.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be given to Revolution Academy for building a High School in her honor. Mail check to: Revolution Academy, 300 Oak Ridge Road, Summerfield, NC 27358. Please include “Price Family/Ava Price 10th grade” in the subject line. Donations can also be given online at http://bit.ly/RevolutionRising
Troutman Funeral Home of Troutman are serving the Price Family.
Sorry to hear of your loss. I worked with Rita in child nutrition. She was a pleasure to work with. May God give you all the peace and comfort you need during this time.
Teresa Barnette