Kathy King Funeral
Funeral • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 8 viewsNotes
Transcript
Katherine “Kathy” King
Passed: Friday, May 9, 2025
Funeral: Thursday, May 15, 2025
Location:
Visitation: Harts, Jones County Chapel
Funeral: FBC Gray Sanctuary
Interment: Riverside Cemetery
Husband: George King
Sons:
Glen King (Debbie)
Doug King (Melinda)
Five Grandchildren
Four Great Grandchildren
Order:
Song - Go Rest High – Carley King
Welcome/Scripture – Randy Darnell
Song - How Great Thou Art – Carley King
Poem – Lynn King
Memories – Bud Mingeldorff
Song - Amazing Grace – Congregation (led by Carley King)
Eulogy – Randy Darnell
Song - I Can Only Imagine – Carley King
Funeral:
Song - “Go Rest High” - Carley King
Welcome & Scripture - Randy Darnell
I want to welcome you to the celebration of Mrs. Kathy King’s life.
Kathy had health struggles for a while and last Friday - maybe a bit unexpectedly - the Lord called Kathy home.
Now, there are lots of things we can know about the Lord
After all, He did give us a book to tell us what we needed to know about him.
But why He does some things - like the timing of someone passing away - it’s a mystery to us.
I know there were people praying for Kathy to be healed
And maybe Jesus decided to make Kathy’s healing complete.
Who knows?
But this much we do know for sure.
Last Friday, an angel of the Lord came and Kathy was able to see him.
She took his hand and he escorted her into the presence of a great cloud of witnesses
Straight to the throne where Jesus was sitting.
She didn’t limp or struggle to get there.
Instead, she simply walked straight into her Savior’s arms.
Thank you all for coming to share George and his family’s grief and joy.
Friends and family are a blessing - and you all are certainly a blessing to George.
I’d like to read a few passages of scripture:
George gave me one - John 11:25-27
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Another family member mentioned 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends.
And finally, this passage came to my mind Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control;
Let us pray:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Our world seems so out of control and yet it’s not all at the same time.
People do crazy things and yet the sun still comes up.
Nations rage against nation and yet the moon rises and sets
And the tides rise and fall.
Lord, Your Word tells us that you set eternity in our hearts
It’s a gift that allows us to see Your things
Things that last and have more value than we can imagine.
Thank you for loving Kathy so.
Your love sustained her hope until her biggest hope was realized.
We will miss Kathy Father, but we would not want her to come back.
After all of the love and care she gave to so many
We now want for her all the love and care You give.
Bless you Father for Jesus
For His death and His resurrection.
Thank you that He is the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
That you that He both showed us the way and WAS the Way.
Help us in this hour to honor and glorify You for the good gifts you’ve given to us
And will continue to give us both now and for eternity.
You are greatly to be praised.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Song - How Great Thou Art - Carley King
Poem - Lynn King
Memories - Bud Mingledorff
Song - Amazing Grace - Congregation (led by Carley King)
Eulogy - Randy Darnell
At least 5 times a week, mostly more times than that, I drive from the Twin Bridges area of Lake Sinclair to here - 134 West Clinton Street.
It’s 18 1/2 miles down the same patch of road every trip.
It’s a pretty ride that I really always enjoy.
I like driving through the National Forest and day dreaming about what might lie down the few dirt roads that branch off the highway.
But there is a particular bend in the road that is my favorite.
Many days as I drive down the sun is just coming up good over the horizon
And, as you are headed this way, going around that bend, the rising sun shines on just the upper half of the trees on the right.
It takes the dark greens of the early morning and turns them into brilliant greens in the golden sunlight.
I forget if it was Monday or Tuesday, but whichever there was a break in the rain and the sun broke between the clouds
Right as I got there.
I was thinking about George and Kathy and that’s when it struck me.
How did Kathy see the world?
I mean think about it, she was very artistic right?
You can see her handiwork all over the place in her house.
The family told me of the treasure she gave them every Christmas of her hand painted Christmas ornaments.
Who does that?
What kind of an eye and a heart possesses someone to take that kind of time
And tedious patience.
I mean really, a Christmas ornament isn’t the size of a canvas - it’s small
And it isn’t flat.
Yet when Kathy looked at it, she saw an easel festooned with invisible colors that simply needed to be made visible.
She saw the world differently from us.
She was born in Rome, Georgia on the day that Ben Hogan set a record winning the Master’s in Augusta.
It was Sunday, April 12, 1953.
Her mom and dad were rocking out to the tunes, “How Much Is That Doggie In the Window” and “Somebody Stole My Gal.”
World War 2 had only been over a few years.
The Korean War was just a few months from being over.
On that day, Juanita Camp gave birth to a girl that she and Robert named Kathy.
I believe Kathy Camp grew up in a modest household.
Her mother was a seamstress in a sewing plant - there used to be bunches of those around.
Her dad sold appliances at the Sears and Roebuck store.
When Kathy graduated from West Rome High School and went off to UGA, the world was changing.
The year she went was the year that a half million people marched on Washington to end the Vietnam War.
The Supreme Court ruled that bussing children to accomplish desegregation was constitutional.
Kathy was bebopping to “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night and “Hot Love” by T-Rex.
The UGA campus would have been somewhat turbulent during the time that little 18 year old small town girl went there.
She stayed two years.
Left and held a few jobs until she landed at Mingledorff’s and Mr. Bud made her his receptionist.
It appears one of her reception duties was to greet George King in 1981.
They married in 1982.
I asked George how she got to Macon and he said, “She married me!”
You know from the obituary that they lived at Lake Wildwood and were members of the “Church of the Wildwood.”
I don’t know when Kathy was saved - I supposed it was when she was younger but her faith meant something to her.
The church wanted to build a building for children and Kathy got busy.
She spearheaded the fundraising including planning concerts for fundraisers.
She was active in the building process
Even going to the point of riding the blades of a fork life to paint a mural on the ceiling of the building.
She said it was her calling and she answered her call well.
George’s career at Mingledorff’s went very well it appears.
He was good at what he did and it afforded them opportunities to travel the world.
I asked George where all they had traveled and it sounded like a travelogue.
Their favorite place to travel was Arizona.
George said that he wanted to stay overnight in the Hotel that overlooked the Grand Canyon in a room with a balcony.
Kathy got busy and booked the room several years in advance.
When they day came, George said they were somewhat take aback by how well they were treated at the Hotel.
The staff was practically falling over themselves to make George and Kathy welcome.
Turns out there was only one room with a balcony overlooking the Grand Canyon - It’s the presidential suite.
But George said it was magnificent.
He and Kathy had dinner in the room and sat on the balcony as the sun went down
And as the full moon rose over this wonder of God’s creation.
Can you imagine what the artist saw as the colors waxed and waned all during the night?
What must her heart have felt as God showed her His handiwork.
They traveled all over the world, visiting Lake Tahoe, Alaska, Hawaii, Grand Cayman Island, England, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, Maine and Utah.
But their favorite place of all was the condo at Panama City Beach.
Kathy loved having family Thanksgivings and Christmases at PCB.
George would go to the beach in front of the condo and salt the sand with coins
Then he would send the kids out with metal detectors.
Can you imagine the fun those kids had and how much fun Kathy had watching them?
Every year at Christmas they made a full family picture
Including last year, even though Kathy was not feeling her best.
I’m don’t remember when exactly Kathy starting having some health issues.
I remember visiting her in the hospital I think it was with a broken hip.
But it sounds like 2020 was the big turning point.
She was diagnosed with Addison’s Disease and from there one thing led to another.
George told me that she always had a good attitude about life and that didn’t escape her when she got more frail.
She still would scream with glee when they found about a new great grand child being born.
She was so proud of the children and the grands.
And it’s apparent to me the grands could feel it.
Garrett gave her the best birthday gift on her 50th birthday when he nicknamed her “Grandma Happy.”
Beats the dickens out of “Grandma Grumpy” doesn’t it?
On July 4th of last year, at Panama City, Kathy simply bumped her leg
And that set into action a series of twists and turns that ultimately ended up last Friday.
Something so very simple that ended up causing so much damage.
Eventually ending with Kathy being called home.
I know we are all very busy people.
I spend most of my life overwhelmed by the number of things I need to do.
But folks, if a simple bump on the leg can cascade into a catastrophic medical situation
Shouldn’t we pay more attention to the one’s we love
And to the things that matter most?
I read earlier Galatians 5:22-23 but let me read it again.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control…
There are a lot of grumpy people in this world
And a lot of grumpy Christians.
Now I know we all get grumpy at times - I know I do and I’m certain my family will attest to that.
We all do - but we shouldn’t stay that way.
As I talked to some of Kathy’s family, they were constantly talking about her love and care and concern.
Grandma Happy hand wrote cards and hand painted Christmas ornaments.
She took pride in creating a clean and beautiful house to welcome her family and friends into.
It was her family who said the love that 1 Corinthians 13 describes is the love that Kathy lived.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love…”
That’s how Jesus came out in her and how He should come out in us.
People should be able to look at us Christians and see love and joy and peace and patience.
They should see kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness
And Lord help us, self-control.
Not because we are so adept and living this way
But because, just as Kathy gave you gifts,
The Holy Spirit of God gives us gifts.
I had an experience at a church with a particularly enigmatic man.
He was the most unlikable likable guy I’ve ever met.
He was interesting and smart and he wanted to see everyone saved
But he was the most ornery person I think I’ve run into.
And I worried about him.
He talked a good game but sometimes you hated seeing him coming.
He would tell you right quick that he was going to heaven when he died
And I suspect he did
But the fruit he bore - some of it didn’t come from the Spirit.
If Kathy could ask you to do one thing today, she’s ask you to look into a mirror and ask yourself,
“If I bumped my leg and everything suddenly went south, where would I ultimately end up?
Now you might say you don’t believe in that heaven and hell thing, and that’s your right
But let me ask you, are you really smarter than all of the billions upon billions of people that have lived
Over the last thousands of years who knew that this life wasn’t the end of our existence?
All kinds of cultures have concocted all kinds of stories and have followed all kinds of messiahs
But only one has a Messiah who died an innocent victim on a cross, was buried
And then on the third day of His burial, He was resurrected back to life.
He was seen by over 500 people.
Men died horrible deaths because they would not renounce their faith that Jesus was resurrected from the dead.
You have a Bible you can read today because a man so wanted everyone to know Jesus
That he defied the government to translate and print it in English.
The government rewarded him by burning him alive at the stake.
His comment from the flames?
“You can turn me over now, I believe this side is done.”
Who does that but a person who is convinced they know the truth?
When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
I hope you see a man or a woman who needs to know Jesus.
I hope you see a man or a woman humble enough to admit that they don’t have it all together
And that they need help - they actually need rescue.
So many people have been told, to go to heaven, all you need to do is repeat this prayer after me
But that’s not really right.
What you need to do is turn to Jesus and say, “hey, I want to follow you wherever you take me.”
“I’m tired of doing this life thing solo, I need you to show me what is right.
“I want to follow you.”
That’s saves you.
That’s what it takes for Jesus to step into your life - and really - give you what He gave Kathy
Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…”
You know that’s what you want and you know you aren’t going to find it anywhere else.
You need to follow Jesus.
It would thrill Grandma Happy if you did.
Let us pray:
Dear Jesus,
Thank you that we know that you will save those who follow you
Just like you saved Kathy.
Thank you for your death and resurrection that has given us such hope.
Thank you Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen
Song - I Can Only Imagine - Carley King
Graveside
There have been thousands of books, I’d say, that have been written about the book of the Revelation.
The very last book of the Bible.
People dig into the signs and wonders and everyone has their opinion on what it all means.
I believe it’s the fifth gospel.
The first four, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all tell us what Jesus did.
As John said, John 20:30–31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
That’s their purpose - nobody was trying to sneak something in on us.
John said it right out loud.
But the Revelation.
It doesn’t only tell what Jesus did, it tells what He’s going to do.
This is where Kathy is living right now - in the what Jesus is going to do.
The clock where Kathy lives right now doesn’t tick seconds away.
I mean really, when you are living in eternity, exactly how is the calendar arranged anyway?
So, what is Jesus going to do?
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new…”
You know what that means right?
Right now, Jesus has wiped away all of Kathy’s tears.
Her body died this once, but that will never happen again.
She will not mourn when George passes - she’ll rejoice because he will come home.
She isn’t crying anymore because there is no pain there.
That nasty looking leg wound is not only healed - it’s been made new.
And all of the temptations of life, they are gone.
“The former things have passed away.”
Kathy sees Jesus’ face and He is at the forefront of her mind.
She’ll never be scared of the dark and she’ll never get sunburned again.
The glory of the Lord is her light and from this moment and forever, Kathy will reign with Jesus forever and ever.
This is the best plot twist ever.
Kathy’s worn out body will be laid to rest at this place.
But Kathy is unaware.
She’s enjoying the best days she has ever had.
Glen King
Interment prayer if needed
Pray with me:
Holy Father,
We commend into thy hands of mercy the soul of this our sister departed, Kathy.
And, we commit her body to the earth, beseeching your infinite goodness, to give us grace to live in your fear and love and to die in your favor
So that when the judgement shall come which you have committed to your well-beloved son,
Both this our sister, and we, may be found acceptable in your sight
And that we receive that blessing, which your well-beloved son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear you, saying
Come you blessed children of my Father: Receive the kingdom prepared for you before the beginning of the world.
Grant this merciful father for the honor of Jesus Christ, our only Savior, Mediator, our Advocate and our Friend.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
