Shirley Belle Price

Shirley Belle Crosby was born June 4, 1938 to the union of William Crosby and Alice Shaw in San Bernardino, California. Her parents moved to Joliet, Illinois, where she grew up. She received Christ at an early age at Second Baptist Church in Joliet. Her father, William Crosby, was a jazz piano player who recorded several race records on the Okeh label. Shirley was a child prodigy in piano, and began playing in church at a young age, eventually convening classical piano recitals in Joliet during her high school years. She graduated from the College of St. Francis in 1962 with a B. A. degree, majoring in Piano and minoring in elementary education. Shirley taught elementary school in Joliet for four years before serving a short stint as an officer in the US Army. Next, she served as a missionary to Hispanics with Ottawa Street United Methodist Church in Laredo, Texas and Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. She enrolled at the University of Illinois in 1970 for M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language, completing the degree in 1972. Shirley lived in graduate student housing at the University of Illinois and joined a Navigators Bible Study group. Shirley loved the disciplines that the Navigators emphasized: personal relationship with Christ through quiet time, prayer, Bible study, and scripture memory. She completed advanced training in witnessing, evangelism, and discipleship in the ministry of Alan and Becky Andrews at the University of Illinois. After graduating from grad school, Shirley returned to teaching elementary school in Urbana, IL. After work she would do evangelism on campus and organize young ladies in Bible study groups. Shirley was a great Bible study leader, always stressing application of the Word and obedience, not head knowledge. Bob Price enrolled at the University of Illinois in January 1973 after serving in the Air Force in Viet Nam. Three members of the Price family were already students at the U of I: Carol (senior), Michael (sophomore), and Charles (freshman). Jerry Coleman joined in with Shirley and the Price family members to launch the Navigators ministry to Black students at the University of Illinois, recruiting dozens of servant leaders who continue to faithfully serve the Lord in churches over forty years later. Bob and Shirley married on May 25, 1975. They have two children: Michelle Price Quarles and Andrew Price. They moved to Chicago in 1983 for urban and church ministry. In addition, while raising the children, Shirley returned to the classroom in 1986 teaching at Lawndale Christian School on the west side of Chicago. When the Price family moved to Matteson in 1989, Shirley made many friends in the community. She taught elementary school in Matteson, Park Forest and Chicago. In 1995, she completed an 18-hour endorsement at Chicago State University in Library Science and worked as a Librarian in the Chicago Public Schools. She supported Bob in ministry with the Navigators, Christian Reformed Church, and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. And she was an effective intercessory prayer warrior humbly entering the presence of God. Shirley also loved dogs, cats, and her tropical bird, “Gracie.” She loved playing piano, bowling, Bible reading, Andre Crouch, and Jimmy Swaggert. Shirley and Bob were married for 47 years. She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Lucinda Fikes, mother, Alice Shaw, father, William Crosby, sisters, Pastor Doris Crosby and Chaplain Marion Wellington, and brother, Jack Bonner. She leaves behind husband Bob Price, daughter Michelle Price Quarles and son-in-law Mikal Quarles, son, Andrew Price, and sisters Pastor Janet Fears and Dr. Geneva Bonner-Edwards. Shirley had three grandchildren – Elijah Quarles, Taylor Quarles, and Justice Price. And there are countless surviving nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, relatives, and friends.

Shirley Belle Price

June 4, 1938 - October 2, 2021