Lester King

SIKESTON - Lester King, 77, died April 20, 2002, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

Born Nov. 30, 1924, at Oran, son of the late William Vester and Menta Ella Trenthaph King, he had worked at International Shoe Factory for 29 years and managed the Magic Car Wash before retiring. He was a U.S. Army veteran.

On Aug. 14, 1948, he married Dorothy Mae Gilliland who survives of the home.

Other survivors include: eight sons and daughters-in-law, David and Branda King of Springfield and Ronny and Ellen King, Bill and Elsie King, Tom and Carol King, Dean and Sherry King, Bob and Cindy King and Joe and Beth King of Sikeston; two daughters and sons-in-law, Faye and Roger Emory of Sikeston and Jane and David Beardsley of Sturgis, Mich.; one sister, Norma Chism of Joplin; and 20 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one sister, Naomi Melton; and two grandsons, Michael David King and B.J. King.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Ponder Funeral Home.

Services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Smith Avenue Church of God with the Rev. Ira Sandifer, pastor, officiating. The REv. Dan Rice will assist.

Burial will follow in Garden of Memories Cemetery with full military rites.

Active pallbearers will be: Culley Chaney, Joey King, Mark Newman, Austin Maxwell, Kevin King and Dan Rinehart.

Honorary pallbearers will be: Chris King, John Merchant, Blake Pierce, Kean King Jr., Matt Brooks and Tom King Jr.