b'11SUMMER 2019FOR MANY AMERICANS,the plight of immigrantsauthored many technical papers and held several and refugees is a newfound concern. Not so forpatents for industrial coating products and proc-Marty and Mollie Price. Starting in the 1960s, theesses. The family lived for a time in New Jersey and two were deeply involved in combatting condi- Delaware, and later in Louisville, Kentucky, where tions that fed mistreatmentracism, bigotryMarty was director of research and development at and attitudes influenced by the Vietnam War.a materials research laboratory. But following his The Prices made it their personal mission to helpmoral compass, he refused to work on any project achieve social change that would allow people ofwith a military purpose. all backgrounds to be accepted in this country.After retiring, he served as an instructional Their son, Charles Price, a retired physicianvolunteer in Kentucky public schools, where he from Ann Arbor, describes them as unwaveringhelped students experience the wonders of science. in their moral and ethical principles. ThoughHe loved introducing kids to the world of they were not religious, they were descendants ofchemistry and physics, showing them magic tricks Russian Jewish immigrants, and were committedusing color, water, flow and candles, Fredric says.to making sure that all people, particularly thoseMollie, who had a psychology degree from from minority groups, felt welcome and respected.Syracuse, shared Martys dedication to education. The Prices commitment to achieving a moreWhile their children were still very young, she took inclusive society influenced their entire family andnight classes at Seton Hall to become a licensed led oldest daughter, Rosanne Stead of Pittsburgh,speech pathologist and began teaching in elemen-along with Charles and their brother Fredric, totary schools. She gained a reputation as a gifted establish The Mollie S. and Martin B. Price Familyspecial education teacher known for her skill in Fund at The Pittsburgh Foundation in 2012. Byhelping children with disabilities beyond hearing then, Marty and Mollie were in their mid-80s butimpairment, such as cerebral palsy and blindness. were enthusiastic participants in grantmaking. But no issue was more important to the Our parents were outward-looking peoplePrices than helping immigrants thrive in this tuned into the problems of the world, sayscountry. After they moved to Kentucky, Mollie Dr. Fredric Price, an oncologist and palliativeearned a masters in education and used her care specialist at Allegheny General Hospital.speech training and English-as-a-Second-They both had a spirit of volunteerism andLanguage certification to help new immigrants philanthropy and wanted very much to enablelearn English and improve their pronunciation, solutions to happen.so they would have better work opportunities. The Pittsburgh Foundation fund wasThe couple organized dinner parties and teas for established, the siblings say, as an ongoing,families and students from dozens of countries, life-affirming expression of that spirit. including Romania, Vietnam and China. In the The manifestation of it in on-the-ground1990s, they opened their home to a young Chinese philanthropy was very personal for the Prices. Afterengineering student, providing him a place to live, a series of site visits to Pittsburghs Environmentalteaching him English and even giving him driving Charter School organized by Rosanne, Marty, alessons. This concern for immigrants continued chemist, was impressed with the science educationwhen they moved to Pittsburgh in 2007 to be closer program and made grants of $2,500 in 2014 andto Rosanne and her children, and to Fredric who $2,600 in 2016 to the school. He remained involvedwas then a gynecological oncologist at West Penn with grantmaking until his death in 2016. Hospital in Shadyside. Rosanne loved my parents so much andAfter Mollie died in 2018, the Price children wanted to do something to honor them as they gothad their mothers body interred with Martys on older and it became more difficult for them to doDec. 26 of that year, which would have been their the things they loved to do during their lifetime,70th wedding anniversary. Friends, neighbors and Fredric says.former students who had benefited from their Specifically, the fund supports organizationsgenerosity made gifts to the fund in their memory. that assist immigrants and refugees, nonprofitsAs the Price children prepare to make the first that serve deaf and hearing-impaired students, andround of grants since their parents deaths, schools that spark a love of science in their students.Rosanne finds her emotions swaying from joyful In addition to the grants to the school, the fundrecollection to overwhelming grief. has awarded $2,500 to the League of WomenOur parents were just wonderful, kind, Voters Education Fund for voter registration forthoughtful people. They are such an inspiration newly immigrated citizens, $5,200 to immigrantto me. We always knew we would start a fund to and refugee programs run by Jewish Family &honor them, and Im so glad we got to do it while Community Services of Pittsburgh, and $2,500 tothey were still around to enjoy it. the DePaul School for Hearing and Speech. Marty, who had a doctorate in physical andbyKitty Julian | director of communicationsorganic chemistry from the University of Delaware,'