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Linda Jeanne King, 86

Linda Jeanne King, 86 years, 7 months and 15 days old, passed away on July 6, 2014 at her home with her family by her side.
Linda was born on Oct. 17, 1927 in McCloud, Okla., to Rufus Ray Trent and Winifred Reust Trent.
On Dec. 24, 1948, Linda and Wendell King were united in marriage and to this union five children were born.
Growing up in Oklahoma with four brothers and four sisters after losing her mother at an early age equipped Linda well for the job of taking care of a big family. The early years of their marriage was spent farming in Oklahoma and later in 1961 they moved with their four children to the farm on Hunter Creek. Soon after the move the fifth child was born and Linda spent the rest of her life as a devoted wife and loving mother on the family farm.
Linda had a love for life and her love extended well past just her family and it took many forms.  She had a love for gardening which was evident in the bounty of vegetables and flowers that she, and as she would say, “God” grew together and with whom she enjoyed sharing with others.  Many of these specimens, along with her baked goods, found their way to the Douglas County Fair and earned her numerous blue ribbons.
As was her nature, she always tried to give something back and for many years she would volunteer at the fair recording exhibits of baked and canned goods that were to be judged.
Like her mother before her, she had a love for teaching, whether it was a Den of Cub Scouts,  a No Name group of 4-Hers, a cafeteria full of elementary students who passed through her lunch line (many of whom called her Grandma King even after her own grandchildren set them straight about whose grandma she really was), or countless classes of Sunday School children.
Getting hay hands was never a problem on the King farm; some confessed they would have probably done it just for the great food alone. No one ever left Linda’s table hungry. Her house was filled with love, family, good food, and an endless supply of games that she was never too busy to play.
Although she did not travel much, her favorite trips were to her Trent family reunions where there was never a dull moment reliving past memories and making new ones.
Besides her family, Linda’s other true love was serving the Lord.  She was a faithful member of the Ava United Methodist Church and a mighty prayer warrior.  Her faith in God, and her belief in the power of prayer kept many a family member out of harm’s way.  She was a soft spoken woman who always had a smile on her face, a song on her tongue, and love in her heart.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one daughter, Shirley King Fleetwood; one son-in-law, Neal Barnes; three brothers, Neal, Fred, and Sam Trent; and three sisters, Evelyn Wilkerson, Pauline Crabtree, and Naomi Wallen.
Linda is survived by her children, Lendell and Linda King, Steve and Alesia King, Bonnie King Barnes, and Glen and Cindy King, all of Ava; 16 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren; a brother Jim Trent; and a sister, Twyla King; and a host of nieces and nephews, family and friends.
Services for Linda will be conducted by Ava Family Funeral Home on Friday, July 11, 2014 at the Ava United Methodist Church with visitation at 10 a.m. followed by the funeral at 11 a.m., with Pastor Matt Kerner officiating.  Burial will be at the Turkey Creek Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Ava United Methodist Church or any charity of your choice.