Pryce Nielson Hales was born October 3, 1930, in Salina, Utah, to Charles Kenneth Hales and Una Bernice Nielson Hales. He passed away on Saturday, May 29, 2021, at the age of 90, from the effects of a recent stroke and advanced age. He was the oldest of five children. He loved growing up in his beloved Redmond and northern Sevier County. He shared stories of his childhood “borrowing” watermelons from the neighbors, skinny dipping in the river, hunting with his Dad in Bull Valley and fishing whenever he could “drown a worm.” His father taught him the trade of brick mason and they worked together during most of his teenage years and he later earned his Journeyman Mason’s Certification. Driving around the area today he would point out the many homes on which he and his dad had laid brick or plastered walls.
Pryce attended school in Redmond and Salina, graduating from North Sevier High School in 1948. He missed going to Kindergarten because of scarlet fever. In his early teens, a girl from Salina stole his heart. They were a couple all through Jr. High, High School, and 63 years of their eternal marriage. Pryce and Cheryl Vee Larsen were married on June 5, 1950 in the Manti Temple. His services will be held on what would have been their 71st wedding anniversary.
He enlisted in the Air Force in order not to be drafted in the Army during the Korean War. After basic training in Texas, he went to Radar Tech school in Biloxi, Mississippi. Cheryl took the bus to meet him there. After school, he was assigned to the Air Base in Great Falls, Montana. He always said he “spent his summers in Mississippi and his winters in Montana.” Two sons, Mike and Richard, were born to them during these years. Upon his honorable discharge they moved to Provo where he enrolled in BYU on the GI Bill. Their daughter, Sharolyn, was born during his college years. He worked as a handyman at the State Hospital during his schooling to take care of the family. Upon graduation, with a degree in Electrical Engineering, they moved to Bellevue, then Renton, Washington, where Pryce worked for the Boeing Company on the Minute Man Missile project. Third son, Brent, joined the family while in Washington.
Utah beckoned him home, so he transferred with Boeing to Hill Air Force Base and the family made their home in Centerville. The next twenty years found him working at several different companies doing electrical design. He was a brilliant engineer and has several patents on his designs. He and his friend, Bruce Robertson, developed their own company, Computer Video, in the late seventies. He designed and the company marketed the character generator equipment that helped bring The Weather Channel to the media. After several successful years, their company was purchased by another and he decided that he wanted to go home to Redmond. He and Cheryl lived with her Dad, in Salina, while they built their home in Redmond. During the next ten years he developed an Electronics course that he taught at the Sevier Applied Technology School. After retirement, he and Cheryl enjoyed their life in Sevier County. He could take a ride to his beloved Bull Valley, hunt and fish with his kids and grandkids as often as he could.
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, he served in nearly every music capacity. He and Cheryl were very musical and willingly shared their talents as often as they could. They produced numerous ward musical programs and cantatas for holidays. He had a beautiful baritone/bass voice that he shared freely whenever asked.
After twenty years in Redmond they decided that they needed to move north again to be closer to their children as they grew older and needed more assistance. Pryce lovingly nursed his sweetheart until her passing in 2014. After several years on his own, he moved into his daughter and son-in-law’s home.
Pryce was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Cheryl, his parents, brothers, Kay and Boyd and grandson, Austin. He is survived by his children, Charles Michael (Elizabeth), West Valley City, Richard Jay (Juanita), Centerville, Sharolyn Knudsen (Ralph), Murray and Brent Reed (Tonya), Centerville, 14 grandchildren and spouses, 42 great grandchildren, sister Betsy Bernice Newman, brother Don Jay Hales (Iris), numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws. He is also survived by his “girlfriends” who have been such wonderful friends over the years. They are Jenn, Rachel, Nancy, Joanie, Jane, and Jenne.
The family would like to thank Visiting Angels, Life Care of SLC, The Wentworth at Coventry and Utah Home Health and Hospice for the wonderful care they have given to Pryce over the many years, especially during the last month.
Pryce always liked a good hug. In lieu of flowers, please hug tight the people in your world.
A public viewing will be held (please wear a mask if you have not been vaccinated), Friday, June 4, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Bountiful Russon Mortuary, 295 No Main, Bountiful. On Saturday, June 5, a short viewing will be held from 9:00-9:45, followed by the funeral services from 10:00-11:00, at Russon Mortuary. Burial will be in the Redmond City Cemetery at 2:30pm. Please note that the funeral services will be live-streamed on the Russon Brothers Mortuary FACEBOOK page for those that would like to participate virtually. We thank Russon Mortuary for their tender care and service to our father and family.