Gail Pederson Price 1939 - 2026

Gail Pederson Price passed away on April 11, 2026, one day after her 87th birthday.

Gail was born in Portland, and grew up on Rocky Butte. She was a tomboy who loved the outdoors and who loved playing sports. In her youth, she danced the Leikarringen at the Norse Hall, played the accordion, was a Girl Scout, and was a camp counselor. She graduated from Grant High School in 1957.

Gail attended Oregon State University, where she majored in education, with the intent of becoming a P.E. teacher. She was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. After graduation, Gail taught P.E. at Lincoln High School. It wasn’t long before she met John Price on a blind date to an Oregon State basketball game. They married in November of 1961.

Gail and John moved to Waldport, Oregon, where John worked for the U.S. Forest Service. Their son, Jay, was born in 1965, and their daughter Jill was born in 1967. The Forest Service took the family to Washington, South Dakota, and Idaho. Gail kept her P.E. teacher whistle and used it to alert the kids when it was time to come home for dinner.

One of her favorite stops was Custer, South Dakota.  While there, Gail joined with a couple of other ladies and opened a gift shop called the Pasqueflower Gallery, and during this time played in a bell choir that was sought after during the holidays.

 In 1989, Gail and John moved to McMinnville, Oregon, where they bought a farm and eventually planted 25 acres of filberts. Gail taught at Yamhill Carlton High School and became involved in the Yamhill County Master Gardener Association. In addition to the filberts, Gail had a big vegetable garden every year, and her flowerbeds were so beautiful, they looked like they were part of a botanical garden. The gardens took a lot of work, and Gail had high standards. She was happy to share her tips for success, whether you wanted to hear them or not!

Gail is survived by her children, Jay (Lisa) Price and Jill Price; and her grandchildren, Bridget Price, Reid Chen, Ingrid Price, Cameron Chen, and Oscar Price. She was preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Irma Pederson; her brother, Rollin Pederson; and recently, her husband of 64 years, John Price.

To honor John and Gail, there will be a gathering from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 23, 2026, at Golden Valley Brew Pub, at 980 N.E. Fourth Street in McMinnville. Please RSVP to jaydprice2@yahoo.com.