Cherry King

Cherry Linda Murphy King, 78, of Mount Airy, Maryland, died at Kline Hospice House on June 3, 2009 of ovarian cancer. Before moving to Mount Airy 4 years ago, Mrs. King lived in Lanham, Maryland, for 39 years. Mrs. King was born in Mulhall, Oklahoma, to the late Irving Earl and Velma Ray (Conover) Murphy. She was one of seven children and grew up on the family farm in Billings, Oklahoma, where she graduated from high school. She received her undergraduate degree from Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) in 1953 and her graduate degree in Library Science from the University of Maryland in 1968. Mrs. King married the late Gerald J King of Helena, Oklahoma, in 1952. She taught in a 2-room school while helping with the family dairy farm in Billings during the late 1950s. In 1962 her family moved to Maryland, where she worked as a librarian for the Prince George's County Public Schools before retiring in 1992. Mrs. King was an active member and elder emeritus of University Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for 44 years, where she served as the librarian and choir member, among other activities. She was a volunteer in many social programs, especially the National Federation of the Blind. Mrs. King loved family gatherings, reading, nature, travel, crossword puzzles, and painting. Mrs. King was preceded in death by her infant son, Douglas Alan King; and her sister, Patricia Johnson. She is survived by her son, Steven King, and grandson, Alan King, of Monrovia, MD; daughter, Gail King, and son-in-law, Frederick Todd, of Luray, VA; son, Stuart King, daughter-in-law, Lynn Kanaskie, granddaughter, Eva King, and grandson, Julian, of Adamstown, MD; daughter, Sharon King Duke, son-in-law, Bill Duke, and granddaughters, Sarah and Grace Duke, of Mount Airy, MD; brother, Ray Murphy of Chicago, IL; sister, Lee Ramsey of Edmond, WA; sister, Jean Sharp, and brother-in-law, Raymond Sharp, of Creede, CO; brother, Joe Murphy of Billings, OK; brother, Jim Murphy, and sister-in-law, Paulette Murphy, of Balch Springs, TX; and a beloved extended family of nieces, nephews, in-laws, grandnieces and nephews, friends and church families. A service to celebrate Mrs. King's life will be July 4, 10:30 am, at First Christian Church, 701 Holly Street, Perry, Oklahoma 73077. "It is well with my soul."