Sarah Ann Conerly Price, a longtime resident of Magnolia, and in recent years a resident of Camellia Estates in McComb, died Tuesday, November 18th, after a lengthy illness.

Visitation will be Saturday, November 22, 2025 from 11am until services at 1pm at First Baptist Church of Magnolia. Dr. Barry Ward and Dr. David Millican will officiate with burial to follow at Magnolia Cemetery. Hartman-Jones Funeral Home of McComb is in charge of arrangements.

She was born in McComb on June 29, 1932, and was raised in the Holmesville Community with her twin sister, Jo Ann.  Their loving parents were Cullen William Conerly and Grace Simmons Conerly.

Preceding Sarah in death were her parents, as well as her husband of 54 years, Ralph Duvoix Price.

Surviving her are her four children and their spouses, Judy Price Barkdull (Lee), of Summit, Ralph Conerly Price (Teresa), of McComb, Carolyn Price Avera (David) of Baton Rouge, and Donald Duvoix Price (Karen) of Magnolia.  Survivors also include her granddaughters and their spouses, Christy Barkdull Smith (Trevor) of Walker, Louisiana, Melissa Barkdull Giambrone (Steven) of Baton Rouge, and Ann-Clark Price McDonald (Daniel) of Madison, one grandson, Ralph Duvoix Price of Magnolia, and three great grandsons, Zach Tidwell (Peyton), Cole Tidwell, and Cullen Giambrone.

Sarah attended Leggett Elementary School and graduated salutatorian of her Magnolia High School class of 1951, where she made many lifetime friends and where she met the love of her life.  Sarah was active in the school's clubs and organizations and excelled in music. She studied piano under Mrs. Grace Lane Leggett while attending Magnolia High, an experience that she credited with providing her immense enjoyment of playing piano for her church, Sunday school classes, and for her family for the rest of her life.  In addition to playing piano, she was a gifted vocalist, and in her elementary school days, she and her sister, Jo Ann, known in the community as "The Conerly Twins," were asked to perform a song at church one Sunday night. When requested to sing their favorite song, it led to the twins delivering a very memorable rendition of "A Frog He Went a-Courtin'."

The day after finishing high school, Sarah was hired by Magnolia Bank, the start of what would become a 50-year career in banking.  As a teller, head teller, and eventually assistant cashier, she would assist with several bank mergers through the years, and would retire from First Bank in 1992.  She loved serving her customers, earning their trust and forming lasting friendships with people of all walks of life, treating each and every one with dignity, respect, and kindness.  She had a natural and innate desire to help people and loved them unconditionally. She came out of retirement at the request of bank officials of Citizens Bank in Magnolia, who were establishing a branch office in Magnolia, and she finished her career there.

In 1952, she married Ralph Duvoix Price, of Magnolia, a railroad worker in the Illinois Central Repair Shop in McComb. Together, they formed a bond that was held together with an abundance of love, strong faith, great fun, laughter, adventure, hard work, sacrifice, respect, and an approach to life that valued mutually held timeless ideals.  Their marriage would welcome four children, all of whom they gave every single thing in life they needed, a lot of things in life they wanted, and the discernment to determine the difference.

A gifted cook, Sarah was happiest in her kitchen. Friends, relatives, and neighbors were welcome to drop by at any time, where they would be treated to an endless array of southern delicacies. She delighted in cooking lunch for her family and their friends every Sunday after church for over 50 years. In addition, she cooked hundreds of dishes over the years for her church family following activities and after funeral services at Magnolia's First Baptist Church.  She was a devoted member of her church and was committed to its missions by teaching two generations of children in Sunday School, playing piano for the senior men's Sunday School class, helping with Vacation Bible School, and serving in leadership capacities on committees that administered church activities.

She considered it a personal ministry to send handwritten greeting cards to family and friends when a significant event in their lives occurred, such as receiving an award, a job promotion, an anniversary, or other events that were important to them.  She had a gift for words that encouraged and inspired others in positive ways in her beautiful and distinctive cursive handwriting, usually accompanied with the article and picture from the newspaper.

Sarah believed in passing down certain expressions that she had learned in her youth, as a quick reminder that things need to be done right.  As a child, she and her twin sister were required to make their beds immediately after getting up, and their mother would tell them, "if you don't have time to do it right, when are you going to have time to do it over?"  Sincere gratitude to all who provided just the right care and love to her throughout her 10 years of assisted living, including her dedicated personal caregivers, Mamie Hines and Annette Magee, the administration and staff of Camellia Estates, and The Claiborne. Special thanks to Sarah's nieces, Anna Cook Evans and Amy Cook Caviness, whose love for Sarah allowed her to finish her life in the exact way in which she started her journey over 93 years ago, right beside her beloved twin sister.

Pallbearers will be Trevor Smith, Steven Giambrone, Daniel McDonald, Ralph D. Price, Zach Tidwell, Cole Tidwell and Cullen Giambrone.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Magnolia First Baptist Church, 126 S. Clark St. Magnolia, MS 39652.