Alberta V King

Alberta Virginia King passed away at the Wray Community Hospital in Wray, Colorado on April 15, 2013, at the age of 97.

Alberta was born to Albert John Wessel and Bessie Jamima (Kellar) Wessel on January 8, 1916 in her grandfather Kellar’s home at 827 Blake St, Wray, Colorado.  The first of two children, Alberta had one sister, Ilene (Wessel) Renzelman.  Alberta’s  first years were spent on a farm near Vernon, Colorado.  She attended Radnor School with her sister for her first 8 years.  She graduated from Wray High School in 1934.

On November 17, 1935, she was married to Gordon William King and lived in Haigler, Nebraska,  while Gordon worked for the railroad.  They moved to Vernon, Co. in 1937 and were active members of the Vernon community while Gordon held partial ownership and worked in several local businesses.

Alberta, Gordon, and infant son, Daryl, moved to Wray, Colorado in 1945 where Alberta was a traditional housewife and mother.  Their second son, Stanley Gordon, was born on Aug. 1, 1951.  Alberta delighted in all the things of wife and motherhood:  clean clothes on the line, hot meals ready on the table, fresh vegetables from the household garden, and keeping house and yard neat.  Family and friends were important to Alberta, and she kept track of Gordon’s many brothers and sisters, cousins around Wray, and people she came to know in the decades she lived in Vernon and Wray.

Alberta was baptized into the Methodist Church in Vernon, Colorado in 1922. She was a member of this church until transferring  to the Wray Methodist Church in 1945 where she remained a member until her death.  Alberta taught Sunday School and was a faithful member of the Methodist Women’s group, gathering for lessons, serving many dinners and funeral lunches, and visiting shut-ins.

She was an active member of the Rebekah Lodge from 1948 until the Wray Lodge dissolved. She was a member for 48 years and was a past Noble Grand.  Alberta and Gordon were foster parents to six children, three boys and three girls.  These children varied in age from two weeks to sixteen years.

She is survived by sons, Daryl and wife, Kathleen, of Jackson Missouri and Stanley and wife, Gail, of Springville, Utah;  grandchildren, Matthew King and wife, Jill, of Jackson, Missouri,  Andrea Miller and husband, Grant  of Kansas City, Missouri, Rebecca Acx and husband Steve of Naples, Florida, David King of Springville, Utah and William King of Springville, Utah;  foster sister, Irene Kruger, of Arvada, Colorado.  Alberta had six great grandchildren, Kade, Halle, and Libby King of Jackson, Missouri, Maxwell Miller, of Kansas City, Missouri, and twin girls, Avery and Addison Acx of Naples Florida.  She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services was held on Tuesday, April 23, 2013, 10:00 a.m., at the Wray United Methodist Church in Wray, Colorado, with Reverend Norman Stott officiating.  Burial was in the Grandview Cemetery, Wray, Colorado. Spellman-Schmidt Funeral Home of Wray, Colorado was in charge of the arrangements. Memorial Contributions may be made to the Wray United Methodist Church of Wray, Colorado.