Gloria Willene King

Gloria Willene King went Home on July 9, 2020, to reside in spirit with the Lord Jesus Christ until His second advent, when she will receive an immortal body and reside on the Creator’s new and eternal Earth.

She was born on November 13, 1936 in Bassfield, Mississippi to Homer and Virsie Lea (Matheny) Quick. After the death of her father when Gloria was a toddler, Gloria's mother married S. L. Bell, Jr., of Water Valley. His work with the Tennessee Valley Authority carried the family to Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, New York and Texas. When Gloria was eleven years old, the family moved to Water Valley. After attending the fifth grade at Camp Ground, Gloria entered the Water Valley school system for the remainder of her elementary and high school years. She and Ersel were childhood sweethearts, considered by classmates to be a pair going all the way back to the sixth grade. She attended the Mississippi State College for Women for two years and then transferred to Ole Miss. After her junior year, she and Ersel married. Upon Ersel's graduation from Ole Miss and during his subsequent work with International Paper Company, she and Ersel and their daughters lived in Arkansas, Alabama and Louisiana. In 1978 Gloria and her family moved back to Water Valley where Ersel assumed ownership of King's Furniture shortly after his father retired from the business. Gloria and Ersel operated the business until they retired in 2002.

A talented seamstress, Gloria made her own wedding dress after seeing a picture of it in a magazine. Gloria was a long time member of the Town and Country Garden Club. She loved making flower arrangements for her home and for display at garden club meetings. An avid bridge player, she enjoyed her membership in two local bridge clubs.

Gloria was a faithful and active member of the First Presbyterian Church where she had served on numerous committees and as President of the Women in the Church. Gloria made Birmingham, Alabama her home for the past two and one-half years, where she attended Altadena Valley Presbyterian Church, with her daughter, Lea Anne. Gloria continued to play bridge, joined a community book club and lead a very active and happy social life.

Gloria is survived by two daughters, Lea Anne Parker (Barry) of Birmingham, Alabama and Laura Kay Burbank (Steve) of Franklin, Tennessee. She leaves three grandsons, Nathan Burbank, Andrew Burbank and Preston Burbank.

In addition to her parents and stepfather, she was preceded in death by her husband of fifty-seven years, Carmon “Ersel” King, Jr., and an infant son, Steven Ersel King.