Retired county planner passes at age 60
By Steve Herring
Published in News on November 9, 2015 1:46 PM
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Connie Ray Price
Connie Ray Price is being remembered this morning for his love of his native Wayne County and its residents and for always being willing to work, but never seeking public recognition.
Price, 60, of Fremont, died Saturday at Wayne Memorial Hospital following a period of declining health.
He worked for Wayne County for 25 years, retiring Oct. 1 as county planner.
Arrangements are pending at Shackleford-Howell Funeral Home.
Fremont Mayor Darron Flowers knew Price for the better part of his life since they both grew up in Fremont.
"He always was very, very active in the Fremont United Methodist Church," Flowers said. "He has always been available for whatever was needed. He was readily accessible. He has supported the town. When he became director of planning for the county, he was always available to the town to respond to any questions and issues that we might have.
"I was a brother with him at Fremont Masonic Lodge, Home Lodge No. 613. At his death, he was serving as master of the lodge. That is a position that he has held several times in the lodge. He always been one of those men who was there and never asked for recognition, but was always available when a job was needed.'
Price is going to be missed by everyone, Flowers said.
"He was just someone everyone liked," Flower said. "He was always willing to go the extra mile for you. He was just a dear friend that everyone is going to miss."
Price was a graduate of East Carolina University and very active in the Pirates Club and enjoyed attending home football games, Flowers said.
"He was a loving father," he said. "He has two daughters and he was very close to his family. Of course his wife, Dr. Amy Price."
Chip Crumpler worked with Price in the county planning department for 15 years, but has known him longer.
"He was a dedicated public servant type of guy," Crumpler said. "He spent his whole career working with the public. He was well-respected statewide for planning. He was involved with many different groups at the state level as far as planning efforts."
Price worked with FEMA and on projects such as stormwater rules, Crumpler said.
"I think he was well-liked," he said. "I think he always did what was right for the citizens. He always tried to find a solution -- a middle ground where the regulations and the citizens came together. He worked for the citizens. He was a nice guy. He was nice to work with, real smart. He was dedicated.
"I am going to miss him."
Price cared about Wayne County, Planning Board Chairman Mike Aycock said.
"He wanted to do what was right for the county and he did a lot of research, a lot of legwork to make sure he got the right solution for the question that anybody in the county had," he said. "He was just a Wayne County employee who cared about everybody in Wayne County."
Price was calm and collected and treated all county residents the same, Aycock said.
"He didn't do special favors for some and not for others," he said. "It was always straight forward in whatever the ordinance or the code of the county was. That was what Connie wanted to do.
"It so sad, his passing. Like I said he was a loyal employee of Wayne County."
Wayne County Commission Chairman Wayne Aycock also worked with Price on the Planning Board for nine years.
"I have known Connie even before he became planning director," he said. "I got along well with Connie. He was dedicated to his job. He knew the regulations, the general statutes, what we could and couldn't do, what the county regulations were. He was very dedicated and did an outstanding job."
Price's passing is a great loss to Wayne County, Aycock said.