Joann Elizabeth King, 90, of Hagerstown, MD, went to be with her Lord on Sunday, May 19, 2024, at the Meritus Medical Center after a lengthy illness.
Born Monday, November 27, 1933, in Parsons, WV, she was the daughter of the late John Franklin Eckard Sr. and the late Beatrice Madge (Jack) Eckard.
She is survived by her children, Joni E. (Randall) Hartman, and William D. (Chris) King, Jr.; grandchildren, Beth Anne Dunphy & husband Martin, Jeanine M. Watford & husband Evan, Sarah L. Privoznik, Rebecca E. Dolly & husband Steven, Jennifer E. Davis & husband Joel; great-grandchildren, Emma Dunphy, Will Dunphy, John Dunphy, Gwen Dunphy, Alec Dunphy, and Harper Q. Davis; sisters-in-law, Shirley G. King and Kathy Eckard; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Dale King, Sr.; brothers, Leslie Martin Eckard, John F. Eckard, Jr., Paul Eckard, and Billy R. Eckard; sisters, Dorothy Flanagan, Doris Reynolds, and Lucille Eckard.
Joann was born in her grandmother’s house in Parsons, WV. Her older siblings had also been born there. She grew up in Parsons and Elkins, WV, the daughter of a B&O Railroad Engineer and the 6th of 8 children.
Joann always loved school, and she and her siblings shared their books with their father, who only had a 3rd grade education. She loved to embroider, and especially loved listening to 40’s and 50’s music on the radio. She experienced life as an 8 year old with three brothers in different branches of the military during WWII, helped plant victory gardens, peel aluminum foil off of chewing gum wrappers to save for the war effort, and learned frugal living by canning produce from the garden.
As she pursued her love of learning, she found that she was gifted with secretarial skills. Shorthand and typing, along with good organizational skills, made her a valuable asset to any company. It was this reason that brought her to Hagerstown in 1953 to begin her first real job at Fairchild. Through her relationships there, she met Bill King, a life-long resident of Hagerstown, on a blind date. They fell in love immediately, getting engaged after only three days, and married three months later. Some of her last words were about “seeing her sweetheart, her love” again.
Joann always liked to be busy at something, so after their marriage and beginning a family, Bill and Joann ran King’s Variety Store in Clear Spring, MD. Later, both she and Bill would work at Carpets, Inc., he as a Salesman and VP, and she as Executive Secretary. In between, they went to school functions, chaperoned trips for their children, ran rental properties, painted, wallpapered, cleaned, renovated, built a few houses and enjoyed life together for many years. At the center of much of their lives was Lions Club International. Joann became a charter member of the Little Heiskel Lioness Club in 1984, and later she served as President in 1986. She had the honor of being Charter President of the Hagerstown Lioness Club in 2005-2006. Some of her greatest interest came from the club’s support of vision research, so Joann did vision screening in the schools for many years.
Joann also loved serving on the Hospital Auxiliary, and served at both Washington County Hospital and Meritus Medical in many capacities over about 43 years.
She and Bill loved traveling, once buying a camper to drive out west to see the many sights. Another time they travelled with fellow Hagerstownians to Sister City, Wessel, in Germany. The same trip also took them to Amsterdam. Lions Club events took them to many cities in the US.
After the death of her beloved, Bill, Joann made a new home for herself with her dog. Her wonderful neighbors embraced her, and their friendships remain special even almost 20 years later. She loved having people to her house to play cards or dominoes, or filling it to the brim for Thanksgiving. She loved supporting the Maryland Theater by attending Sunday concerts with friends, and reading spy novels and other exciting books. She found a church home at Paramount Baptist Church, and made more friends there.
Besides the joy she had in her many special friendships, she especially loved her family. She would often attend special occasions involving her granddaughters, and later great-grandchildren. Weddings, birthdays, school events were always at the top of her must do list! If Oma wasn’t there, the kids would be disappointed.
In 2023, Joann experienced many health problems that kept her from enjoying life as she was used to experiencing it. But, in November, just before her 90th birthday, she was able to experience the highlight of the year when the City of Hagerstown used a blue spruce tree from her yard to decorate the town square for Christmas. It had been her wish for many years, because she really wanted to honor her husband for his life of service to Hagerstown, so the tree was dedicated to him. It was a dream come true, and the only birthday gift she really wanted.
Joann would say she lived a full and beautiful life, one that she was so thankful for.
The family would like to thank her amazing friends, old and new, who have helped support her over these last years with rides, assisting her at home, meals out and trips together. Special thanks to the loving caregivers at Complete Care of Hagerstown (Longmeadow wing), and the doctors, nurses, and other caregivers at Meritus Medical ICU and IMC. Joann always felt well cared for.
Family will receive friends at the Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home, 1331 Eastern Blvd. N. Hagerstown, MD, 21742, Friday, May 24, 2024, from 6:00pm to 8:00 pm.
Services will be held Saturday, May 25, 2024, at 10:00 am, at the Paramount Baptist Church, 13234 Marsh Pike, Hagerstown, MD, with Pastor Frank H. Duncan officiating.
Interment will be at the Rest Haven Cemetery, Hagerstown, MD.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Lions Vision Research Foundation, P.O. Box 1714, Baltimore, MD 21203 or Paramount Baptist Church, 13234 Marsh Pike, Hagerstown, MD 21742.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.douglasfiery.com
Posted online on May 22, 2024
Published in The Herald-Mail
