Beth King

~~~~~~ Obituary for Beth Arlene Platt King May 21, 1927 - January 14, 2017 Early on January 14, 2017, Beth Arlene Platt King, aged 89, went home to be with her Lord. Arlene was born at home on the family farm near Burr Oak, KS, May 21, 1927, the youngest daughter of Elizabeth Deborah Lawrence and Jesse Furn Platt. Helping her father on the farm, she watched him break and train horse and mule teams and learned cooking, sewing, etc. from her mother. She rode her horse several miles daily to attend country school during her elementary school days. After attending High School in Burr Oak, in 1944 she was the valedictorian of her graduating class. Very musically inclined, Arlene played the piano, the trumpet and sang. After graduation she began studies at Manhattan [KS] Bible College. There she married Philip Ethan King on June 13, 1947. While still in college, they began serving in churches all over north central Kansas, spending sixteen years at the Christian Church in Morrowville. In September of 1964 Philip accepted a call to pastor the Lusk WY Church of Christ and the Jay Em Community Church. He served these churches until the fall of 1967. At that time Phil and Arlene moved to Torrington WY where they ministered until Phil's retirement in June of 2014. For 69 ½ years, Arlene was the lynchpin of the family - aiding and supporting Phil in his Pastoral duties and raising their three children. She never missed a concert or special activity the children were involved in. After being a Girl Scout leader in Morrowville, she opened her home to a new group - the Boy Scout Troop Phil was also leading. Many hours were spent helping boys to learn skills and how to grow to be good men. She accompanied the troop on several 50-mile hikes taken in the mountain areas of Wyoming. She hunted and fished as well as doing other youth-oriented activities. For a number of years she was the head cook at the local summer church camp. Arlene was a talented artist who painted with oils, acrylics and watercolors. She drew with pencil and with charcoal. Perhaps most unusually, Arlene would draw beautiful chalk drawings to the accompaniment of lovely old hymns. She was a long-time member of the Southeast Wyoming Art Association and the North Platte Valley Artists Guild based in Scottsbluff NE. and served as an officer in various positions in both organizations. She won many ribbons and awards with her work and was recognized with several Honorable Mentions for her entries in the Annual Wyoming Conservation Stamp Contests. A truly gentle lady, Arlene has left a wide circle of friends and family behind. She was preceded in death by her mother, father, stepmother and older sister. Arlene is survived by Philip, her husband of 69 ½ years; Daughter Connie Wilson [Carl] of Torrington WY; Son David King [Cheryl] of Gillette WY; Daughter Joyce Mondle [David] of Casper WY. She also leaves nine grandchildren, their six spouses and 15 great-grandchildren -- who were Arlene's greatest joy in life. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at 10 AM on February 11. at First Baptist Church in Torrington. The family requests memorials be made to either Southeast Wyoming Art Association or the North Platte Valley Artist Guild for their scholarship programs.

Service

Saturday, February 11, 2017 10:00am

First Baptist Church

Lusk, Wyoming