Mary Lee King

Mary “Lee” King, age 94, died at her residence in Paducah, Kentucky on April 27, 2023.

Lee was born January 6, 1929, in Somerville, Tennessee to the late Henry Frank Hailey and Ruby Valena Hollingsworth. Lee was of the Methodist faith and held membership in the First United Methodist Church in Mayfield at the time of her death. Lee was a graduate of Chester County High School in Henderson, Tennessee, Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, and received her master’s degree at Scarritt College for Christian Workers in Nashville, Tennessee. Following graduation from Union University, she worked for the Department for Public Welfare in Paris, Tennessee before going to Maryville, Tennessee to accept a position with the U.S. Air Force as a civilian employee.

Upon graduation from Scarritt, she accepted a position with First Methodist Church in Mayfield, Kentucky and after a couple of years she married Howard King. Her final employment was with the Department of Social Services where she worked for 30 years and was District Manager for the eight counties in the Purchase District until retirement on December 31, 1991.

Lee served for 22 years as a dedicated member of the Purchase District Aging Committee, retiring as Chairwoman in June of 2021; she had held the position for approximately 15 years. Her participation was recognized as being valuable to the senior citizens of the Purchase Area. She also served as Chair of the McCracken County Task Force for the McCracken County Humane Society and was President of the Paducah Kennel Club for 20+ years. She was a Kentucky Colonel and a Duchess of Paducah. To all who knew her, she demonstrated a life of service and adventure; the twinkle in her eye was ever present.

Preceding her in death included her parents; her husband, Howard King; stepfather, George Heavrin; stepson, Gary K. King; and two sisters, Dorothy Verneda Sinclair and Martha “Jane” Bolding.

Lee is survived by her special friend and long-time companion, Velma “Dee” Felts; a special family, Jim (Cheryl) Channell       who was like her son; granddaughter Hailey (Matt) Wallace; and several nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held for family and friends at Walker Hall on June 17, 2023. Please call Dee for details. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lee’s honor to First United Methodist Church in Mayfield.

Lindsey Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.