Barbara Ann King

3/4/27- 7/19/12

Barbara Ann Brooke King, 85, was born at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C, on March 4, 1927 to Major John Rutter Brooke II and Elizabeth Gerhard Brooke.While she was a child, her family was stationed at Ft. Leavenworth, KS and Ft. Benning, GA. She was the great-granddaughter of Major General John Rutter Brooke (U.S.), who was involved in the Battle of Gettysburg, was a military Governor of Puerto Rico, and then, the first American Governor of Cuba following the Spanish American war.

Barbara moved to San Antonio in 1938, where she graduated from Jefferson High School, class of 1944. She completed her B.A. in English at the Texas State College for Women in three years. She later moved to Iraan, TX, where she taught for Iraan ISD from 1949-1956. There, she met O.J. King, Jr. whom she married on July 5, 1949. They were married in St. David’s Episcopal Church in Austin, TX. She was proud that she was the first woman to be allowed to teach during pregnancy at the Iraan ISD. During this period, she also she worked on her M.A. at Sul Ross University.

In 1960, she moved with her family to Odessa, where she was active in bridge circles, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Odessa High School Athletic Boosters Club, the American Association of University Women and the Ector County Republican Party. She served as president of the Ector County Republican Women’s Club and was elected as a delegate to the National Republican Convention in 1966. During this period she co-chaired George H. W. Bush’s United States senatorial campaign in West Texas.

She and O.J. retired and moved to Marble Falls in 1981, where she became in involved in the Garden Club, Helping Center Board and Delta Zeta Sorority. She remained an active member of the sorority until her death. She worked for the Marble Falls ISD at Marble Falls Elementary School for ten years before retiring again.

She is preceded in death by O.J. King, Jr., her brother John R. Brooke III, and her son-in-law Jimmie Daniel Kasparek, Jr.

She is survived by her sister Caroline Brooke Schindler of Wimberley, her sister-in-law Betty Brooke of San Antonio, her daughter Kathy Kasparek of Marble Falls, her son, Douglas S. King and his wife Angela of Aledo, TX., grandchildren Wyly T. Wade and his wife Kadambari of McLean, VA., Wendilynn Wade of Seattle, Jason King of Cincinnati, Kathleen Wyatt and her husband Jamison of Philadelphia, Andrea King Janoush and her husband Will of Madison, MS., and Logan Brooke King of Aledo, in addition to great grandchildren Kyra Barbara Wade and Colton Graham Wyatt.

Services will be held on July 28, 2012 at 2:00 pm, at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Marble Falls. Internment of her ashes and a reception will follow at the church.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Helping Center (1315 Broadway, Marble Falls 78654) or a charity of your choice.

Condolences may be made at www.clementswilcoxfuneralhome.com

Arrangements are under the direction of Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home of Marble Falls.