Florence Mildred

King

Florence Mildred King

Rio Hondo, TX "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

Florence Mildred (Cook) King was called to God's Heavenly Kingdom April 1, 2024, joining our father Harold Wilson King (1917-2003).  Mom was born on October 26, 1923, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Charles Roland Cook and Florence Ethel (Curry) Cook.  Growing up in Lansdowne, she was very competitive and active in her church and school.   "Cookie" as she was known by her school mates, played on the Lansdowne High School girl's field hockey team and played the trumpet in band, serving as a drum major her senior year.  After high school, mom began working as a clerk for the railroad.  Soon after, the United States entered World War II.  In 1942, as she walked down the streets of Philadelphia with her friends, they encountered some young sailors, who were waiting for their ship to sail.  One, from San Antonio, asked mom for a date.  Her response was to invite Harold to attend church with her and her parents and siblings on Sunday; thinking he would not show up.  He did.  Soon after, he shipped out aboard the USS Denver to join the Pacific fleet.  What followed was a three-year romance, carried out by mail, with letters back and forth until the war ended (1945).  Mom fell in love with "her sailor".  And dad had fallen in love with the most remarkable woman.  Dad made two promises aboard his ship.  He determined that, if he survived the war, he would marry Miss Cook and he promised God that he would become a missionary.

Mom and dad married after the war, and started a family that would increase to 10 children.  Dad attended Bible College and Seminary, working various jobs to support his growing family.   In January 1957, they packed up the car and headed for Texas.  Not sure exactly where they were going, they proceeded; grounded by a resiliency forged in the hardships of the Great Depression and a world war and confident in their deep faith and trust in God.  Arriving on the "frontera", they were led to settle in the Harlingen area, where they began their ministry on both sides of the Rio Grande River.

There and then began some of the most remarkable chapters of the life of this amazing woman of faith.  Raising 10 children, preparing 3 meals a day for her clan (including sack lunches prepared every school morning for her children), sewing, cooking, and laundry  would have been enough for anyone.  But when you consider everything, she did, we can only marvel.  Mom set up and taught after-school Bible classes for neighborhood children in our front yard in Harlingen, and later in Le Moyne Gardens and similar neighborhoods.  She taught classes at the bilingual church dad founded and pastored (La Iglesia Bautista Gracia) Sunday mornings and evenings and led youth-night services on Thursday nights.  She also helped with Wednesday evening prayer services.  On Sunday afternoons, we rode along with mom and dad to various neighborhood church services they would hold at homes in Reynosa, Santa Maria, Primera, and La Sara.  On Saturdays, mom would participate in cleaning the church and make home visits to members and prospects of the church family.  Each year, mom would be the director for church Christmas and Easter plays, ensuring everyone learned their parts and making sure costumes and scenery were prepared just so.  Every summer for over 25 years, beginning in 1959, mom and dad would run a summer camp at our home, free of charge for the church children and others from various neighborhoods and housing projects in Harlingen.  Moving the family to a small farm north of Rio Hondo, they would hold 4 - 6 weeks of free summer camp.  We had dozens of boys and girls staying at our home; a different group each week, sleeping in a bunk house behind the house (until Buelah destroyed it), in tents, in our house, and in our garage.  The 10 of us "King children" would join in when it was our appropriate group.  Dad ran the camps and handled evening Bible services and daily recreation, (softball, volleyball, hiking along the Arroyo, swimming, etc.) and mom cooked 3 meals a day for 50 or more campers with the help of a few volunteers while also teaching Bible stories and songs to the children twice a day and seeing that all memorized their assigned Bible verses.  As her children grew older and participated in sports and band, "Mrs. King" became "mom" to the track team (baking goodies for all) and became a "band mom", chaperoning Friday night bus rides to away games and other band outings.  When her youngest child entered school, mom took a job as a teacher's aide to help support the family financially, and enrolled in Texas Southmost College, earning her associate degree.

We cannot begin to describe all the things mom did.  She was a bundle of energy, always encouraging, accepting no excuses, faithful to God, country, her husband, and her children. She was a servant leader; never daunted by any challenge, always positive, and demanding the best from us.  Mom was always ready with a reprimand or a swat if we needed it, but this was balanced with a tremendous sense of humor, a delightful mischievous streak, an indomitable spirit, and great wisdom.  She always reminded us of God's commandments and His promises.  She lived what she taught.  Every morning, from our earliest memories until her health failed her, mom could be found in the kitchen at 5 AM reading her Bible and praying for God's guidance and blessings for her, each of us, and everyone else in her life.

Growing up, we shared our mom with hundreds of kids from church and school and many call her mom, too.  Several moved in with us for a while due to challenging circumstances in their home.  Mom always had room for one more.  And some would call, visit, or write to seek her advice or share their problems and their victories.  And yet, somehow, she managed to make each of the ten of us feel special.  She was our mom, our confidant, our advisor, our best friend.  As we began families of our own, mom was still supporting and encouraging, often travelling across the country to help with grandchildren or just to visit, no matter how far some of us lived from the Valley.  Today, we rejoice because we know she is in Heaven with dad.

Florence Mildred King was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her sister Shirley, her brothers Milton (Buddy) and Jack, and several grand and great grandchildren.  She is survived by her 10 children: Harold "Sunny" King (Ginny), David King (Nedra), Patricia "Patti" Johnson (Dave), Jonathan King (Gloria), Daniel King, Charles King, Joel King (Pam), Edward King (Wilma), Stephen King (Cindy), and Melody Okorie (Pascal), in addition to 36 grandchildren, 65 great grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren.  The family would like to thank mom's caregivers; especially her long-time physician, Dr. Oorjitham, and the staff from Lindenwood Hospice for providing home hospice support the last few weeks of her life.

We will be celebrating mom's life and arrival to her heavenly destination ("Well done thou good and faithful servant...enter thou into the joy of the Lord - Matthew 25:21). We will be sharing our love for her, reminiscing and, of course, shedding some tears because we miss our mom.  You are welcome to join us at Trinity Funeral Chapel, 1002 E. Harrison in Harlingen on Monday, April 8 for viewing, paying respects, and greeting family and friends from 1 PM to 7 PM.  This will be followed by a worship service from 7 PM to 9 PM.  We will gather at Trinity again on Tuesday morning.  You may join us in fellowship at 9 AM.  At 10 AM we will depart for Mont Meta Memorial Park (San Benito).  Pall bearers and honorary pall bearers will be her grandchildren.  We will lay our mother's body to rest along-side the remains of "her sailor".

With love and remembrance, The Family of Florence Mildred King's funeral arrangements are entrusted to Trinity at Harrison Funeral Home at 1002 East Harrison Ave. in Harlingen, TX 78550. You may contact us with any questions at (956) 364-2444 or visit us at www.trinityfunerals.com.