Frankston native, former Texas House Speaker passes
Feb. 27—Former member and speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, William Rayford Price, died peacefully Tuesday, Feb. 21 at his home in Austin. He was 86 years old.
Known as Rayford, Price was born in Jacksonville Feb. 9, 1937. He was raised in Frankston, where his father was owner and publisher of the Frankston Citizen. Price was valedictorian of his class at Frankston High School in 1955 and attended Lon Morris College in Jacksonville.
Having acquired knowledge of the printing trade through his association with the family newspaper, Price worked as a printer to support completion of his undergraduate studies at The University of Texas where he also attended law school. He was admitted to the bar in 1963.
Price won his first election to the Texas House of Representatives before finishing law school and represented Anderson and Cherokee Counties from 1961 to 1973. He held a leadership position every term he served in the House, including a stint as Chair of the Committee on Contingent Expenses his freshman term. He was later named Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and then became head of the Committee on State Affairs. In 1972 Rayford Price was elected by the House to serve as Speaker.
Price entered the practice of law and moved from Frankston to Palestine between the 59th and 60th legislatures, and was based in Palestine during the time that he was speaker.
When Price ended his political career in 1973, he moved to Dallas and partnered with Ray Hutchison to form the law firm that eventually became Hutchison, Price, Boyle & Brooks. There, he specialized in municipal bond law. In 1982 he moved to Austin and founded the law firm of Rayford Price & Associates.
Price is survived by his wife of 61 years, Barbara Price, his two sons, Brandon and Brett Price and his daughter in-law, Diana Martinez.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 3 at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.
