Carolyn S. King

Carolyn S. King
May 19, 1922 - October 2, 2012
Raleigh
Carolyn S. King (90), loving wife, mother and beloved friend to many died peacefully October 2, 2012 at her Whitaker Glen home where she has been surrounded by loving family, friends and caregivers. Born May 19, 1922 in Lexington, KY, to Benjamin William and Hallie M. Spicer, she grew up in Lexington, attended public schools and graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1944. In an early manifestation of what became lifelong dedication to community leadership, she accepted the Presidency of the Campus Y.W.C.A.
She laughingly said that her contribution to the war effort during WW II was to give blood, work as a nurses aide and dance with the soldiers. She married one of those soldiers, Cyrus B. King, in 1948, and they had 64 wonderful years together. The arrivals of sons Cyrus B. King, Jr. and Edward G. King, completed their happiness.
Carolyn's early commitment to enriching her community continued as, after college graduation, she accepted a position as Assistant Teenage Director of the Youngstown, Ohio Y.W.C.A. Three years later she returned to the University of Kentucky as Director of the University Y.W.C.A. In 1949 she and her husband moved to Raleigh where she served as Teenage Director of the Raleigh Y.W.C.A. until her children arrived, when she became a stay-at-home-mom until her boys reached school age. An early advocate for racial justice, she accepted a position as teacher for an all African- American kindergarten class at Manley Street Christian Church. She participated in marches and street demonstrations for equal rights and was a leader in her church's involvement in a racially integrated Vacation Bible School that eventually succeeded in integrating the State Parks system as they searched for a place to meet. This effort to prepare students for school desegregation predated the Supreme Court's Brown decision requiring desegregation in 1954. In 1965 Carolyn became a teacher at Raleigh Preschool, the only parent cooperative in Raleigh, where she taught preschool children until her retirement in 1983.
Carolyn was a pioneer in establishing Day Care Centers for both children and adults. With four other churches, two black and two white, her church, United Church of Raleigh, which later became Community United Church of Christ, developed RICH PARK, an integrated low income affordable housing project. There was a need for day care for the children of residents and with Carolyn's leadership Method Day Care Center was established. Carolyn was chairperson of the Method Day Care Board for a good many years. Several years later Carolyn saw the need for Adult Day Care, and working with the Council on Aging and Raleigh Area Ministries, the Total Life Center, the first Adult Day Care Center in Raleigh, was established at Community United Church of Christ. Carolyn served as Chairperson of the Board for a number of years. There, former Junior Leaguers and former domestic servants enjoyed programs side by side. Old age and Alzheimer's are great levelers. She was a frequent participant in Fayetteville Street Vigils for Peace over the years.
In recognition of her service to the community, Carolyn received several honors. Among them: Raleigh Hall of Fame, 2009; the W.W. Finlator award for Civil Liberties by the Wake County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, 1991; North Carolina Council of Churches Citizenship Award, 2009; Wake County Chapter of UNA-USA Member of the Year, 2003; and two Scholarships established in her name: one by Women NC to send a student each year to the United Nations and the Conference on the Status of Women; and one by Community United Church of Christ that will go each year to persons from the religious community who exemplify outstanding commitment to working for peace and justice.
Carolyn is survived by her husband Cyrus B. King, son Cyrus B. King Jr., nephew Wentworth Durgin, all of Raleigh; son Edward G. King and wife Elizabeth Scott King, and step-granddaughter Roslyn Ragsdale of Youngsville, N.C.; a sister Jean King of Columbia Missouri, her daughters Karen Silvoso and husband Dr Jerry Silvoso of Little Rock Arkansas, Suzy Salzer and husband Dr. Bill Salzer of Columbia Missouri, and a devoted niece Katherine Durgin and her partner Elaine McKinley of Emerald Hills, Calif. A brother Benjamin, "Sonny," Spicer and brother -in-law, Dr. Paul King, predeceased her.
A memorial service will be held at Community United Church of Christ, 814 Dixie Trail at 3:00 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012. The family will greet friends after the service in the Fellowship Hall. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Wake County, 250 Hospice Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27607; or Community United Church of Christ, 814 Dixie Trail, Raleigh, N.C. 27607. The family is so very grateful to the staffs of Hospice of Wake County and The Oaks at Whitaker Glen for what can only be described as loving care.
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