Obituary of Alice M. King

Alice Hamilton Mendenhall King, of State College, Pa., died on May 24, 2015, at age 88. Her husband of 66 years, Thomas B. King, passed away three months ago. Alice was born September 15, 1926, in Avondale, Pa., to James Horace Mendenhall and Alice Ivins Mendenhall, both deceased. After high school, she earned a B.S. degree in dietetics from the Pennsylvania State College (now Pennsylvania State University). It was at Penn State that she met Tom King, and they married in 1948. Alice is survived by their four children: Thomas Davis King (Jana Pisanski King) of State College, Pa., Lynne L. King Echard (Robert L. Echard) of State College, Pa., Ann I. King Filmer (Charles L.R. Filmer) of Davis, Calif., and Mark Allen King (Karen Stashak King, deceased) of Battle Creek, Mich. Her seven grandchildren are Barbara P. King-Wilson (Alex Wilson), Nevin P. King (Audra King), Ryan D. Dennis (Nikki Blackburn), Andrea L. Dennis, Owen T.M. Filmer, Emory I. Filmer, and Andrea F. King Nicholson (Kyler Nicholson). The five great-grandchildren are Matisse C. Wilson, Leo T. Wilson, Nolan P. King, Spencer E. King, and Channing G. Dennis. Alice King is survived by her brother James Mendenhall (Marie Mendenhall) of Malvern, Pa. She was predeceased by siblings Ralph Mendenhall, Sarah Mendenhall Russel (Chester Russel), and Nancy Mendenhall King. Alice is survived by sisters-in-law Marie Mendenhall, Marion Mendenhall, Juliette “Judy” King, and Carol Ann Smith, and brother-in-law J. Fred King. Alice has many nieces and nephews. Early in her marriage she raised their four children and was a homemaker while her husband was an animal science professor at Penn State. When the children were older, she taught English in the State College Area School District and English as a Second Language. Alice lived most of her adult life in State College, with a year in Urbana, Illinois, and four years in Swaziland, Africa. Alice was devoted to her family and had many hobbies including jewelry making, weaving, photography, and travel. She was instrumental in starting an ongoing mah jongg group in State College more than twenty years ago. She was a member of the University Baptist and Brethren Church in State College, to which memorial donations can be made (UBBC, 411 S Burrowes St, State College, PA 16801; 814-237-2708). The family thanks the staff at Juniper Village at Brookline, State College, for their care of both Alice and Tom. A memorial service will be held for Alice King on Thursday, May 28, 2:00 p.m., at Koch Funeral Home (2401 S. Atherton St.), followed by interment at 3:00 p.m. at Centre County Memorial Park (1032 Benner Pike) in State College. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.