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Light a Candle
Memorial Services and Reception will be at Central Presbyterian Church (7700 Davis Dr, at Hanley) in Clayton, MO on March 30th at 3pm.
Marion Elizabeth King (nee Buck) was born January 24, 1927, in the family house on Sullivan Avenue in St. Louis. Her parents were Albert H. and Emily Buck, and her brother was the late Albert Q. Buck and her sister Kathryn Hewitt (nee Buck). Marion was close to her brother's and sister's families. Her brother, who died in 1997, was married to Celia Rudolph. Albert and Celia had 2 children, Albert R. (married to Barbara Kinder) and Claudia (married to Jim Sizelove). Her sister was married to J. York Hewitt Sr. (Jack), who died in 1992. Jack and Kathryn had 2 children, J. York Hewitt Jr. (Johnny) (married to Patty Miller) and Paul Hewitt (married to Marla Zimmer). Her lifelong love of the St. Louis Cardinals started in part of the family home being four buildings from Grand Avenue, directly across from the Sportsman's Park. She'd attend the baseball games, which had a special section called the "Knot Hole Gang" at Sportsman's Park, (historically listed as the first of these sections, created especially for young adults).
Marion graduated from Central High School, St. Louis. She received her Bachelor Degree from Washington University in 1948. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority and served as their choir director. Marion originally met her husband at Pilgrim Church in the fifth grade. After college, she worked at Bell Telephone Company until she married Crawford Abel King, Jr. in 1950. She then joined her husband in the family business, Pohl & King Monument Company, where she worked for 60 years until shortly before her death. Marion and Crawford enjoyed being associated with the St. Louis Jaycees. Marion served as president of the Jaycee-ettes, and also held many other positions with the organization. The most impressive of these positions was being appointed Woman's Chair of the National Convention in St. Louis in 1960, the largest convention in the history of the Jaycees. One of the activities she was in charge of was the women's luncheon that had 3500 guests.
Marion gave birth to her sons, Crawford Abel King, III in 1954 and Bryan Buck King, in 1958. With her sons being active in swimming, Marion was scorekeeper of the Normandy High School swim team for eight straight years. She also assisted in other sports her sons participated in serving as score-keeper for the Little League baseball team for six years.
The entire family joined Central Presbyterian Church in Clayton, MO in 1965. Being an avid Christian, devoted to her faith, Marion was born again on March 1, 1976, while Dr. Andrew Jumper was the pastor of Central Presbyterian. She and her family greatly admired Dr. Jumper and formed a lifetime friendship until Dr. Jumper's death. Marion was active in Central Presbyterian Church in the choir, Presbyterian Woman Groups and Lay Renewal.
She was Grandma to, as she said, "to two generations of grand children". The first generation consists of the daughters of Crawford Abel King, III and Janie Gates; Kathryn Hilary King (married to Dan Niehoff) born 1980, who lives in St. Louis, Ginger Elizabeth King (married to Adam Schmidt) born 1981, who lives in Colorado, Jessica Jane King (married to Andrew Spayde) born 1984, who lives in Wales. The second generation of grandchildren consists of the children of Bryan and Kristine King; Bryan Buck King, Jr. born 1995 and daughter Erica Inez King born 1997, who both attend MICDS.
Marion and Crawford travelled widely. They enjoyed many cruises as well as a trip down to the Amazon, where at one point she paddled a canoe when she was over 60 years old.
She attended many Cardinal and Rams games. She was very privileged to be at the 7th game of the 1982 World Series and Rams Super Bowl Championship in Atlanta, Jan. 2000.
She went back to college to take accounting and computer classes at nearby University of Missouri, St. Louis. She loved crossword puzzles and keeping score for college and professional football and baseball.
By far the accomplishment she was most proud of was leading her family and friends to be born again in the belief of Jesus Christ. Her overwhelming optimism was the characteristic that her family will miss the most.
