Posted on 12/12/2013 12:22:32 PM PST by a fool in paradise
From East Texas Medical Center:
Country Music Hall of Fame member and American country music singer Ray Price, 87, plans to leave East Texas Medical Center in Tyler today to go to his home in Mt. Pleasant for home hospice care.
Price was diagnosed in 2011 with pancreatic cancer, and despite aggressive treatment, the cancer has recently spread to his liver, intestines and now his lungs. He has been in and out of hospital care for the past few months and was recently readmitted with complications. Price and his wife of 45 years, Janie, have decided to not pursue any further aggressive treatment.
"Ray is alert and aware of his surroundings and making decisions," said Janie. "With God's blessing he has not had extreme pain. But it's with great sadness that I announce to you today that my beloved husband has entered the final stages of his cancer that he has battled for 25 months. Anyone who knows Ray is aware that he has strong convictions and great faith in God. It's his decision to leave the hospital and return home to spend his final days on his beloved ranch surrounded by the comfort of his home, family and friends."
Price wanted to give a final message to his fans. "I love my fans and have devoted my life to reaching out to them. I appreciate their support all these years and I hope I haven't let them down. I am at peace. I love Jesus. I'm going to be just fine. Don't worry about me. I'll see you again one day."
Janie thanks the fans for all of their love and messages and wanted to let the fans know the best way to send them a note is on their Facebook page or you can mail a card to:
Ray Price, P.O. Box 1986, Mt. Pleasant, TX 75456.
Price performed his last show this year in May. He has a new CD coming out and several tribute shows were already being planned to celebrate his career. One is set for Feb. 12 in Nashville.
THAT is an opus.
He’s a great singer. Watch this performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1ZKIX0ICZo
Wow. My parents had a couple of his albums when I was a kid.
Frankly, I didn’t know he was still alive. He looked old to me way back then!
God Bless Ray Price and his family.
God bless Ray Price and his family.
May God bless and comfort Mr. Price in these final days.
For the good times ... Thanks Ray.
What a great voice that will soon be lost to us.....Thanks Ray. Oh and what a wonderful addition to the heavenly choir he’ll make!
From his facebook wall (likely posted by his wife or son):
The fact that he survived pancreatic cancer for 25 months (and counting) puts him in a very, very small minority of people.
Typically by the time pancreatic cancer is discovered its victim usually only has months to live.
My Sister in Law was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in 2008. She was initially given three months to live. She survived fifteen months.
One of my aunts was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer last year, she survived six months.
My mother was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer last December just after Christmas. She survived about 4 months.
It's a rare person who makes it 25 months.
;-)
God be with Ray Price.
+1.
I hope I have the faith and class to go out like that. That is a man truly at peace. May we all find that in our final days.
Ray Price is one of the greatest singers that ever lived. He made smooth and silky effortless. Ray has kept me awake on more than one long drive while I sang along as best I could.
I was in Vietnam with a driver who was listening to some junk on a CD. I pulled a CD of Ray out of my folio, days before mpg and all that, and told him to slide that in the stereo. Ray boomed out with “Heartaches by the Number” and the guys face burst into a wide smile. “American cowboy music!” He listened and tried his best to sing along. I like to think that for a long time after that a hire car made the rounds in Siagon with Ray belting out great tunes.
He is an outstanding entertainer of many, many decades and by all accounts a fine man.
Ray Price and The Cherokee Cowboys. Check him out on You tube.
Ping
Ray Price's music sustained me many a lonely night while I was alone in the barracks while in the USAF.
My mom’s uncle was stationed in Del Rio in the Coast Guard a long time ago. In the 30s.
What year was that?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.