Obituary for Edith King

Edith King

(December 1, 1916 – August 4, 2016)

Edith King, age 99, passed away peacefully on August 4, 2016, at Sunrise Senior Living of Cinco Ranch in Katy, Texas, where she resided since 2011. Blackwell was her home for 63 years before moving to Texas to live closer to family.

Edith, the youngest of five children, was born on a farm in Orienta, Oklahoma, on December 1, 1916, to Thomas Edgar and Ethel Lamb. As a student she excelled in school, graduating from Jefferson High School as salutatorian in 1934. During the Great Depression she worked as a mother’s helper to pay her way through college, first attending Northern Oklahoma Junior College and then graduating from Northwestern State Teachers College in Alva, Oklahoma, in 1938.

Edith taught school four years in Kansas and married Alfred Ralph King on April 2, 1942, during the unsure times of World War II. She accompanied him to numerous Army posts until he was sent overseas to fight in the Philippines. While living in Long Beach, California, Edith assisted with the war effort by working as one of the “Rosie the Riveters” building aircraft for Douglas Airplane Factory. After the war the couple moved to Blackwell in 1948 where they raised their three children and Ralph worked for Ray Hamlin Chevrolet and Cadillac. Edith returned to her teaching career in Blackwell in 1951 when their youngest child was almost school age.

Edith had a passion for teaching the little ones and was excited to welcome each new class of first graders, teaching multiple generations of children in Blackwell. In 1972 Edith was recognized for her excellence and named “Blackwell Teacher of the Year” by the Blackwell Teachers Organization.

At age 66 Edith agonized over the decision about when to retire as she truly loved teaching young children in their most formative years. Her dilemma was resolved when she learned she could continue teaching as a volunteer tutor! She officially retired in the spring of 1983 but continued teaching for the next 28 years as a substitute, part time salaried employee, and volunteer. She ended her teaching career at the age of 94 with a total of sixty years in the Blackwell schools.

In 1984 Edith was named Blackwell “Citizen of the Year” to honor her many hours of volunteer work in the community, the first woman in Blackwell ever selected for this tribute. Besides tutoring, her list of service includes assisting patients as a member of the Blackwell Hospital Auxiliary, helping the Western Kay County Red Cross Chapter and the Blackwell Museum, and being a weekly visitor to residents of Blackwell's nursing homes to write letters and offer word of encouragement. She was an active member of the Blackwell First United Methodist Church serving at various times as a board member, youth department superintendent, and adult Sunday School teacher. She also enjoyed her leadership roles in the Blackwell Eastern Star Chapter, the United Methodist Women Organization and Wesleyan Service Guild, Delta Kappa Gamma, the American Association of University Women, the Blackwell Story League, and the Blackwell Retired Teachers Association.

In 1984 the Oklahoma Knights of Columbus presented Edith the “Civic Award” for outstanding service to the community. That same year the Northern Oklahoma Development Authority (NODA) selected her from 8 counties as their candidate in the state competition for “1984 Senior Female Oklahoman”.

In 2011 the Blackwell Hospital Auxiliary presented Edith an award to celebrate her 38 years and 13,058 hours of service.

Besides her volunteer work, Edith enjoyed playing bridge in multiple bridge groups and traveling. She took many sightseeing tours with friends to Europe, the Middle East, Alaska, and bus excursions around America. Family was especially important to her and she made many, many trips to visit her children and grandchildren wherever they were living.

Edith was also a strong woman of faith, and in her tough times she held fast to scripture verses about God's promises. In 1972 when Ralph was fighting a grim battle with cancer, she hired someone to care for him in their home while she taught school during the day, and then taking care of him all through the night. After five long months of his suffering and her caregiving, she was weary but not defeated. At his death, she planned a memorial service for him, celebrating his life, his home-going, and his release from pain. Four months after Ralph's passing, her father died in Blackwell at age 100. A few years later she also suffered the tragic death of her oldest son, Joe King, age 35. But she never wavered during any of her life’s heartaches, and kept her faith strong, claiming “All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose”, and “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” These scripture verses fortified her and fueled her energy to stay the course.

At age 94 Edith decided it was time to live closer to family and moved to Katy, TX in 2011.

That same weekend she was hospitalized with health issues, and although she greatly improved, never fully recovered. The family is extremely grateful for the excellent loving care Edith received during the time she resided at Sunrise Senior Living in Katy.

Edith was preceded in death by her husband, Alfred Ralph King, her son, Joe Jack King, her great-grandson, Owen Noah Sidwell, her parents, her three sisters and one brother, and her twenty brothers and sisters-in-law.

Surviving family members are her daughter and husband, Jeannie and Dave Coleman of Arvada, Colorado, her son and his wife, Ron and Jan King of Katy, Texas, six grandchildren and their spouses, fifteen great-grandchildren, and a multitude of nieces and nephews.

Services celebrating Edith’s life will be held at the Blackwell First United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 13th with Rev. Cap McIlnay officiating. Burial will follow in the Blackwell Cemetery

In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made in Edith’s name to the Blackwell First United Methodist Church in c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 W. Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma 74631.