Gwendolyn “Ivy” Price
A Life of Faith, Family and Friendship

Gwendolyn Cunningham was born on September 16, 1938, in Panama City, Panama. She was affectionately nicknamed “Ivy”. She was the second of three children born to Anna “Mae” Cunningham. At the age of 12, she was legally adopted by her maternal grandparents, Ruth and Benjamin Williams, and, thus her name was changed to Gwendolyn Williams. Ivy joined her grandparents when they repatriated back to Jamaica, eventually becoming a citizen by naturalization in 1964.

Ivy spent her next years completing her education and working in the vocation as an office worker and became an active member of the East Queen Street Baptist Church. Her dedicated faith in Jesus Christ was demonstrated in her participation in the Youth Group, Church Choir and Women’s Federation, as well as her famed position as the church clerk for many years. It was while at East Queen Street Baptist Church, with her extroverted popularity, that she caught the eye of one Joseph Price, who did his very best to win her affections. Although she wasn’t very keen on Mr Price or his attempts at the outset (Oh, the stories!), she eventually gave him a chance and after several months, they declared their engagement and were married on July 25, 1970. They welcomed their first child, Stephen, in April that following year, and fourteen months later, their daughter, Camille. Ivy continued to be an integral part of her church family as well as later gaining employment at the United States Embassy in Kingston, all the while maintaining an enthusiastic and energetic love for Christ, her family and friends.

At the VERY determined influence of Ivy, aka “Honey”, and upon achieving their permanent resident status in the US, Joe moved his family to New York in August of 1979 and eventually settled in White Plains where both he and Ivy found employment at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Westchester Division. Ivy and her family were members of the Bronx Baptist Church, where she served many years as Sunday School Superintendent and a member of the Adult Choir and Women’s Missionary Union. After his retirement in 1995 (they offered a great retirement package and he was tired of the cold) and her taking a leave of absence, Joe and Ivy relocated to Sunrise, Florida and became members of First Baptist Church of Sunrise. Ivy briefly returned to her employment at New York Hospital where she waited for their next round of retirement packages, then rejoined her beloved Hubby in Florida (the love letters between them tell the tale). They became naturalized citizens of the United States in 1997 and continued to enjoy their retirement, with Ivy, once again, joyously becoming involved with her new church family and taking on various roles as led by her Lord.

Ivy’s love for her Saviour was demonstrated in the kindness, love and care she extended to those beyond her immediate family. After more than 60 years of searching and not knowing, with the help of Joe’s grandniece Laura, she was reunited with her Panamanian family. Her outgoing friendliness and ability to understand others led her to numerous loving and abiding friendships. Although her health took a toll over the last decade or so, Ivy’s feistiness for life never waned. She was preceded in death by her sweetheart Joe and son Steve. Ivy leaves behind a legacy of faith and love in her “little pocketbook” Camille, cherished god-daughters Gaye and Melissa, a treasure of nieces and nephews, and many, many wonderful friends. After gaining citizenship in three nations in life, Ivy peacefully slept away and walked with Christ to her new address in Glory on July 19, 2025, thus achieving the most meaningful citizenship of all.