Anna Margaret King

Anna Margaret Willoughby King July 1915 - June 1, 2008 Anna Margaret King of Waco passed away Sunday, June 1, 2008 at Lakeshore Estates. Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 7, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel with the Msgr. Mark Deering and Dr. Scott Walker officiating. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, June 6, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. A loving wife and mother. A brilliant scholar and teacher. A creative mind and true comedian. These were some of her roles. Anna Margaret Willoughby was born in July of 1915 in Dallas, Texas to Horace and Anna Willoughby. Her mother, Anna, was a Dallas girl; her father, Horace Marshall from Tennessee. They moved to Tennessee when she was young. At age 3, she attended a one room school house on the tobacco farm. Anna Margaret quickly learned to read and from that time forward loved "her books". The family returned to Dallas where she attended the public schools, always receiving honors. There was much sadness in her childhood. She lost one brother in a house fire, one sister at birth blue baby, and one younger sister to Diphtheria. Anna Margaret was an only child by default. Anna Margaret received a scholarship to Baylor University in 1933. She loved Baylor! She majored in English Literature and French. She was also very active in the Baylor Little Theatre. It was at Baylor, she met the love of her life, Walter B. Friends arranged for them to meet at a party. Walter B. had to be persuaded to leave the Chemistry Lab to attend. They both always spoke of that special evening. Anna Margaret and Walter B. were engaged for six years while he finished medical school. They were wed on June 7th, 1941. In December of that year, Walter B. had to leave for WWII. Anna Margaret attended SMU graduate school earning her teaching certificate. Walter B. began his practice in Waco in 1950. Anna Margaret "kept the home fires burning and answered the phone". She taught Sunday School at the First Baptist Church for over forty years and made all the stories come alive. She was a room mother for 18 years, always involved with her children and their school activities. Anna Margaret served on many organizations. She was Chairman of the Quality of Life Committee, Chairman of the Leadership Conference serving with Nelwyn Trippet, worked with Friends of the Library and was active in many fundraisers. She presented many papers, one of which was the "First Ladies". She volunteered many years at Hillcrest Hospital at the Information Desk and in the Gift Shop. Anna Margaret cared for others. From bake sales to making costumes for the school events, she was there. She took care of her parents, cooking lunch for them each day, and whatever else was needed. She was always kind and generous to all. When Walter B. retired, they delivered "Meals on Wheels" to the "old people". The people looked forward to her arrival, the food was just an extra plus. After her diagnosis of Alzheimer's, she stayed her same sweet self and played the "supervisory role" as best she couldalways with spunk and humor. She was a true lady. Life is not about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain. Anna Margaret knew how to dance in the rain. She will be greatly missed, but never forgotten. One of Anna Margaret's favorite poems was by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "Sonnets from the Portuguese and Other Poems" XLIII. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of Being an ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of everyday's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints, - I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! - and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. Anna Margaret and Walter B. together again. She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Dr. Walter B. King, Jr. She is survived by her son, Walter B. Dub King, III and wife, Pam, of Pueblo, CO; and her daughter, Margaret Hendrix and husband, David, of Dallas, TX; grandsons, Travis Wood and wife, Debby; and Mark Wood, all of California; granddaughter, Ashley King Cano and husband, Cody, of Denver, CO; and two great grandsons, Zachary and Ethan Wood; cousin, Lucille Tilley and husband, Eugene; sister-in-law, Martha McNabb and husband, Mac; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank Lakeshore Estates Retirement CommunityManagers, Kaye and Tommy Wallace, Co Managers, Connie and Phil Wright, and their excellent staff members; Alliance Care-Sherrie Murphree, RN., and therapists, Sheree, Vickie, Kenton and Lisa; Dr. Gary Barbin and Dr. Ross Shipp; Charla Hughes, RN with Hillcrest Community Hospice; Howard Gruetzner-Alzheimer's Assoc.; Ella Valdez; sitters-Dionne, Sadie, Sherrie` Stickley of Phoenix Care; and her wonderful sitters-Laura, Michelle, Tori, Loretta, Nicoleta, Lucy and Bonnie. Thank you for bringing quality and wonderful care to our parents. We are forever grateful. With Alzhiemer's being the epidemic it is, we sincerely ask that you make donations to the Alzheimer's Assoc. 6605 Sanger Ave. Suite1, Waco, TX. 76710. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey