Doris Ruth Price Brown R.N.

July 21, 1936 - December 20, 2022

I died at rest with 4 close family members at my bedside on an early Tuesday morning at Kaiser Oakland ICU, a great view. The day prior there were at least 20 family members visiting me. Nephew Sean Michael Norris with flute played my favorite, “Little Sunflower”. A heart attack on Saturday, the 17th, at home after breakfast was more than I could handle so my husband Joe and I called 911. At the dispatcher’s request, I took 4 baby aspirin and within a couple of minutes Oakland Fire and EMTs arrived and whisked me safely to ER . Before that, they asked me several questions: my name, age, and date of birth - to rule out a possible stroke. I’ve experienced 2 in the past 11 years. I was 86. Due to timing issues, and because I might exaggerate, ho ho, the remainder of this account I leave to family.

Doris, called Scooter by her father, Sister by her older brother, Big Sis by her younger siblings, Mom, Mother, and Mommy by her children and Nani by her grandchildren was born in Forrest, Texas (Cherokee County) to Vernell Henderson and George Price. The family migrated to San Francisco in 1942. She grew-up on O’Farrell Street, between Scott and Pierce and attended Girls High. She graduated from Richmond High School in 1954. Doris was set on becoming a nurse regardless of counselors suggesting that she set her sights lower. She attended San Francisco State and graduated as a Registered Nurse from San Francisco French Hospital in 1959. She continued to renew her RN license until 2021. While at SF-State she became a member of Zeta Phi Beta, Sorority, Inc.

She began her nursing career at Los Angeles County Hospital rising to floor supervisor at the age of 21. There she worked in all units and got her introduction to ER by riding with National Guard to attend to victims of the Watts Riots. This was followed by work over the next 20 years at Mendocino State Hospital (Ukiah), Brookvue Convalescent and Brookside Hospitals (San Pablo), Doctors (Pinole), East Bay Psychiatric (Richmond), Providence and Merrit (Oakland) and Kaiser ER (Richmond),

She married her husband, Joe, after loosing a bet where he wagered her to marry him if he doubled the $52 in his pocket - (Reno 1971).

In the late 80’s, she joined the Contra Costa County Aids Task Force as an intake volunteer to assess the needs of AIDs victims and recommend Task Force services. In 1993, she resurrected Parchester Village’s Western Round-up with the theme Parchester Village Touches the World. The event exemplified connecting young and old neighbors and alumni to include those raised in the Village who became doctors, nurses, teachers, reporters, musicians, lawyers, government executives, engineers, military officers and first responders.

After the youngest children left for the armed forces, as an empty nest-er she filled hers by creating “Camp Joe’s” (1994 – 2000), an overnight camping trip for model 5th graders for what she called Richmond’s most at risk students, those who do well in school but often are overlooked. She solicited each of the 15 grade school’s principals for their model student and enlisted police, fire men and women to serve as camp counselors. The program was funded through donations collected from local businesses.

She served on the Contra Costa County Grand Jury (2001-2005) and City of Richmond’s Human Relations & Affirmative Action Commission and was most proud of her work as a Police Commissioner, from 1995-2004.

In 2004, Doris and Joe moved to Oakland. Doris soon knitted ties with her new neighbors by going door to door inviting them to an open house, later initiating the first National Night Out block party for Lower Sequoyah Hills and serving as the grand dame at her brother Freddie’s infamous Labor Day 70’s parties. Neighbors recall her as “the glue that held our neighborhood together” “a light in our lives” “made the homes around here a real community.”

As described in the Book of Ruth 1:16, Doris was a woman of purpose and destiny and as in 2 Corinthians 9:1-15 a hilarious giver, a person with an Open Heart. She is remembered by her family: husband for 51 years, Joe Brown, children: Jonathan Cole, Stacey Johnson, Edward Brown, Cheryl Brown, grandchildren: Cameron Johnson, Janelle Cole, Vander Cole. Older brother: Donald Price. Younger siblings: Dolores Lee, Grace Grant, Janet Norris, Marlene Gibson, Frederick Price, Dana Fuller, Eugene Price, Georgian Price, and their families.

Per her request, the family is planning a festive celebration of her life. RSVP at Doris98625722@gmail. com for details.