James Edward King

James Edward King, age 91 of North Tazewell, Va., died peacefully Sun., June 28, 2009 at Heritage Hall in Tazewell, Va., with his family by his side. Born Oct. 9, 1917 in Lockgelly, W.Va., he was a son of the late Walter and Violet King. He grew up in West Virginia, graduated from Oak Hill High School in 1936 and worked at various jobs during his teen years. He married Edith Rone Ferguson on Jan. 28, 1938. They had five children and shared 59 beautiful years together. James and Edith moved to North Tazewell in 1938 and he worked for Pocahontas Fuel Company from 1937 until 1953. He then went to work as a mail carrier for the North Tazewell Post Office from 1953 until his retirement in 1977. He was a founding member of Fincastle Baptist Church in Tazewell, a member of the Tazewell Masonic Lodge #62 AF & AM, having received his 60 yr. pin, a charter member of the North Tazewell Lions Club, and was an avid supporter of Tazewell High School sports, receiving life time admission to all THS Athletic events. He was a loving husband, wonderful father, proud grandfather, and dear friend. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. In addition to his parents and his wife, he was preceded in death by two infant sisters, Edythe King and Lorraine King; one brother, Bill King; and two grandsons, Bryan Scott Lee Blackburn and Jason McKinley Blackburn. Survivors are his children, Margaret Benson and husband, Bill, Faye Mundy and husband, John, all of North Tazewell, Va., J.E. King, Jr. and wife, Christine, of Abingdon, Va., Renny King and wife, Linda, of Bristol, Tenn., and Darlene Blackburn and husband, Jerry, of Tazewell, Va.; grandchildren, John Mundy, Jr. and wife, Joy, of North Tazewell, Va., Missy Richardson of Houston, Texas, Mandy Newman and husband, Mike, of Lenoir City, Tenn., Jimmy King, III and wife, Sherry, of Bristol, Va., Tina Blankenship and husband, Chris, of North Tazewell, Va., Lindsay Powers and husband, Church, of Greenville, S.C., and Addie Blackburn of Tazewell, Va.; great grandchildren are Natasha Blankenship and Nick Blankenship of North Tazewell, Va., Brittany Mundy and Jamie Mundy of Catlett, Va., Lance Mullins of Tazewell, Va., Morgan Newman of Lenoir City, Tenn., Jordan King, Kalyn King, and Ty King of Bristol, Va.; step granddaughter, Ady Ross of North Tazewell, Va.; great great granddaughter, Hannah Brown of Catlett, Va.; three sisters-in-law, Ruth Ferguson and Nancy Ferguson, both of Tiffin, Ohio, and Virginia King of Seffner, Fla.; many nieces, nephews, and close friends. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Wed., July 1, 2009 at the Fincastle Baptist Church in Tazewell, Va., with the Rev. J.C. Steele officiating. Burial will follow at Grandview Memory Gardens in Bluefield, Va. Grandsons, John Muncy, Jr., Jimmy King, Ty King, Lance Mullins, Chris Blankenship, Mike Newman, and Nick Blankenship will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers are Paul Brewster, Ray Wimmer, Jess Peery, Bob Surber, Harley Shaull, Peery Allison and Ike Dailey. The family will receive friends from 6-9 p.m. Tues., June 30, 2009 at Peery & St.Clair Funeral Home in Tazewell, Va. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to TASK-Taking Action for Special Kids, P.O. Box 877, North Tazewell, VA 24630.