Doris Cline King

Doris Virginia Cline King, 88, passed away on July 16, 2011. Born on July 27, 1922 in Mt. Sidney, VA, Doris grew up on an Augusta County farm. She was valedictorian of her New Hope High School class, attended Madison College and then graduated from Virginia Tech in 1944 with a Home Economics degree. She worked as a home economist in Pocahontas where she met her husband William “Bill” King. They were married on February 2, 1946 and moved to Waynesboro where Doris started her career as a teacher. In 1951 they moved to Hampton where she taught third grade at Ft. Monroe, Jane Bryant, Barron, and Paul Burbank schools until she retired in 1987 after 37 years of teaching.

Doris was a member of East Hampton United Methodist Church and was a certified Methodist Lay Speaker. She spoke at local churches and retirement homes. She held many positions at the church – Board of Trustees, Administrative Council, Sunday School Superintendent, Finance Committee, and Adult Fellowship Class teacher. She served with the District Council on Ministries, the Wesley Foundation at The College of William & Mary, the Tidewater Wesley Foundation at Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University, the United Campus Ministries at Christopher Newport University, and Hampton Ecumenical Lodgings & Provisions, Inc. (H.E.L.P).

After retiring, Doris volunteered with CASA, the Court Appointed Special Advocate Program, with the Newport News Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. For this work, Doris was Virginia’s 2000 Senior Volunteer of the Year. She also volunteered at Riverside Convalescent Center Hampton, Paul Burbank and Armstrong schools.

Doris was predeceased by her husband of 47 years William T. King, Sr., parents Peter Harvey and Minnie Belle McAllister Cline, and sisters, Alma King, Hazel Palmer, and Joan Robbins.

Survivors include daughter Karen Lee King and husband Hugh B. “Bernie” Anderson III of Hampton, son W. Thomas King, Jr., his wife Cathryn and their children, Melanie and William, III of Grosse Ile, MI; also several nieces and a nephew.

The family thanks the staff of Coliseum Park Nursing Home where Doris resided after the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease for the care and support they gave her and the family. Elizabeth George, her dedicated companion for the last several years, was an exceptional blessing to Doris and the family.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to East Hampton United Methodist Church, 714 East Pembroke Avenue, Hampton, VA 23669.

Family visitation will be held at Parklawn-Wood Funeral Home from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wed., July 20. A funeral service will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Thurs., July 21, at the Funeral Home by Dr. John B. Tate, Jr. and Rev. Edward Merry. Interment will follow in Parklawn Memorial Park.