Lorraine Janet King
Soldotna resident Lorraine Janet King died Oct. 27, 2009 at her home in Soldotna. She was 82.
There will be an open house and potluck from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at 360 W. Corral Street. Her ashes will be buried with her husband, Edward King, at Fort Richardson National Cemetery.
Mrs. King was born Feb. 26, 1927, in Colonia, N.J. She moved to Colorado immediately after her marriage to Ed where all four of her children were born. She subsequently moved to Alaska with her husband after he retired in 1989.
She was a member of TOPS Chapter No. 196 and Stitches of Love Quilters.
She volunteered at Bishop's Attic, Clothes Quarters and Redoubt Elementary Library.
Mrs. King enjoyed quilting, reading, playing slots in Las Vegas, spending time with family and TOPS friends, and spending time with her dog, Maggie.
Mrs. King was preceded in death by her husband, Edward King; her parents, Sydney and Lillian Pinkham; brothers Duke and Ed Pinkham; and sister, Florence McAvoy.
She is survived by her brothers Ronald Pinkham of Rahway, N.J., and Frank Pinkham, of Whiting, N.J.; sister, Delores Martin of Penn Valley, Calif.; daughters and sons-in-law, Sharon and Gary Hale of Soldotna, and Patty King and husband, Richard, of Santa Cruz, Calif.; sons and daughters-in-law, Richard and Marcia King of Kauai, Hawaii, and Bruce and Mary King of Soldotna; grandchildren Jeff, Tim and Jeromy Hale, Cary Newnam, Erin Schloff, Willow and Bristol King, Stephanie Cowling, Jennifer Roth and Kelly King; great-grandchildren, Ethan and Riley Cowling, Colby and Chloe Hale, Caius, Adarra and Brynn Hagelund.
Condolences may be sent to Lorraine's family at P.O. Box 4258, Soldotna, AK 99669.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai.
Her son, Richard King, wrote this poem as the family's remarks:
The last time I saw mom, she waved goodbye through her screen door
She stood and watched me drive away, longer than she had before
Some how I knew that she knew, that it was time to go
The seasons change meant time was up, as the north wind started out to blow
As far back as I remember, she would take me by the hand
Her voice was soft and gentle, and her touch was warm as sand
To own mistakes, a lesson learned, she would say to me
No matter what the problem, you love uncondition ally"
The youngest of the four of us, she coddled me with care
I got away with lots of things, the others wouldn't dare
Later on when I left home, she whispered in my ear
"Make this world a better place, for all the people you hold dear"
And so she made her way through life, with cards dealt out to her
No regrets or looking back, a simple Jersey girl
Blessed with all she needed, surrounded by her joy
A healthy growing family, with lots and lots of girls and boys
Life is short, it's gone before you can blink your eyes
You leave your mark with those you love, they are the bonds that tie
you to a bigger picture, with no beginning or an end
Just recognize the value of your family and your friends
So now I'll always think of her, she's fixed in memory
I know that she's in paradise, and always will be free
Say hello to that old man, I sing of him in song
Tell him that I miss him, and someday I will come along
The last time I saw mom, she waved goodbye through her screen door
She stood and watched me drive away, longer than she had before
Some how she knew that I knew, that it was time to go
The season change meant time was up, as the north wind started out to blow