Barbara Jo King, age 69, of Darlington, was called home to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County in Darlington following a four-year battle with neuroendocrine cancer.  While cancer may have defeated Barb physically, it did not defeat her spiritually.  To the contrary, Barb beat cancer through the positive and inspirational way she lived each day of her life following her diagnosis.  Her courage and optimism will live on forever in the lives of those who were privileged enough to have known her.
Barb was born in Dodgeville on Aug. 20, 1948 to Clyde and Ruth White and was raised on the family farm in rural Darlington.  She graduated from Darlington High School in May of 1966 and was married to the love of her life, Gerald W. King, on Aug. 27, 1966.  Barb devoted her entire life to helping others.  She took great delight in helping Gerald on the farm, cooking at Willow Springs School, and housekeeping at Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County in her earlier years.  However, when the time came to start a family, Barb quit all that and devoted full-time attention to raising her four sons.  Barb valued nothing more than spending time with her sons and considered them to be her greatest contribution to this world.  In her later years, Barb enjoyed waitressing, providing childcare, and painting and cleaning homes for others.
Barb was a faithful servant of God.  She was a member of the Darlington United Methodist Church her entire life where she taught Sunday School, was past President of the Women’s Group, sang in the church choir, and was active in the life of the church in every way possible.  Barb’s faith was evident to all who knew her.  In fact, even in her final days, when asked to reflect upon what was happening, Barb replied softly and simply, “Thy Will be done.”
Barb’s hobbies included painting, garage saling, antiquing, gardening, bird watching, and attending her grandchildren’s school activities.  Barb was also known to dabble a little in writing, and even had a poem she wrote about her father published in “A Question of Balance, The National Library of Poetry.”  She will forever be remembered for her love of family and that dry sense of humor she so masterfully displayed right up until the end.
Barb is survived by her beloved husband of 52 years, Gerald, and their four sons: Jay (Rob), Jeff (Missy), Jon (Jenni), and Jason (Tammy) King.  Barb is further survived by her grandchildren: Brianna, Noah, Paul, Matthew, Madyson, Landon, Lillian, Oliver, and Samantha King; her sisters: Ruth Ann (Barry) King, and Vicki (Bill) Crist; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Barb was preceded in death by her parents, her stepfather, Alan Shultz, and her in-laws, John and Ione King.
A funeral service will be held Thursday, April 12, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at Darlington United Methodist Church (546 Park Place, Darlington) with Rev. Angela Utter officiating. Burial will be in Union Grove Cemetery. A visitation was held Wednesday, April 11, 2018 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Darlington United Methodist Church and on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. until 10:15 a.m. at the church. The Erickson Funeral Home in Darlington is serving the family. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.ericksonfuneralhome.com.
For those who prefer, a memorial fund has been established in Barb’s name.