Patricia Regina King

5/2/1926 – 1/11/2026

Anyone knowing Pat’s maiden name would not be surprised to hear that she was a “Prince” but became a “King” when she married her husband, Richard, on June 26, 1946. They met on a blind date during her future husband’s visit to his sister Prentice, a student at the University of Michigan. After Richard reported back to duty overseas, a long distant courtship, through the U. S. Mail, began and resulted in a wedding at St. Thomas Catholic Church.

In addition to raising seven children, born between 1947 and 1964, Pat attended Michigan State Normal College, now know as Eastern Michigan University, taking classes in art and education. In between mom duties, which included a daughter who contracted polio at birth and was an adroit driver of her wheelchair.

During the early days of her husband’s work career, Pat and Dick opened a piano store on Liberty in downtown Ann Arbor. The profit/loss statement was weak and Pat found several part-time jobs to supplement the cash flow.

Pat was positive, upbeat, encouraging and left her friends with a smile after every conversation. She also had a keen eye for fashion and looked a good twenty years younger than her age. Most of her children’s friends often mistakenly thought she was one of the siblings.

Pat was predeceased by her husband, Richard King, three of her children, Charlotte, Martha and Robert, and her siblings, John Prince and Mary Clancy. Surviving Pat are her children, Jeffrey, Julie, Jim and Russ, and grandchildren, Melissa, Amanda, Nicole and Alex.

A memorial service and visitations will be held on Friday, January 30th, 2026 from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. at Muehlig Funeral Chapel, 403 S. 4th Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI.