Joann King

Jo Ann G. King of Monmouth died peacefully at home on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019. She was 85.

A memorial service will take place at Christ’s Church: Methodist and Presbyterian United, 412 W. Clay St., Monmouth, Ore., 97361, at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020. Family and friends are also invited to a hymn sing at 1:30 p.m. prior to the service. A reception at the church will follow the service.

Jo Ann was born in Pompano Beach, Fla., on March 21, 1934, the fifth of six children of Chester Burton Gayler and Sadie Mae Millican Gayler. She graduated from Seacrest High School in Delray Beach, Fla., in 1952, and started college at the Emory University School of Nursing in Atlanta, Ga., that same year. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 1956. Her first full-time job was at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta as a Registered Nurse.

Jo Ann married John Emery Grund of Monmouth, Ore., on September 24, 1957, at Boynton Beach First Methodist Church, Boynton Beach, Fla. They moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho, that same year, where Jo Ann worked as an RN at Sacred Heart Hospital until giving birth to a daughter, Linda Marie Grund. Two sons followed: Curtis Blake Grund in 1959 and John Martin Grund in 1961. While being the primary caretaker of her young children, Jo Ann was also active in League of Women Voters and the Methodist Church. She was a founding member of the new St. Paul’s United Methodist congregation in Idaho Falls.

The Grund family moved to Tigard, Ore., in 1968. Jo Ann became an active member of Tigard United Methodist Church and volunteered widely in the community. John Emery Grund died on July 8, 1978. After John’s death, Jo Ann returned to paid employment as an RN at Allergy Associates in Portland, Ore.

After five years of widowhood, Jo Ann married David C. King on July 16, 1983, at Tigard United Methodist Church, Tigard, Ore. The couple then lived in Pasco, Wash. Jo Ann was an active member of Pasco United Methodist Church and volunteered as a hospice nurse with Tri-Cities Chaplaincy.

Jo Ann and David moved to Monmouth, Ore., in 1988 to care for Clarence Grund, the father of Jo Ann’s first husband. She became an active member of and leader at Christ’s Church: Methodist and Presbyterian United, Monmouth, serving over the years as lay leader, lay member of annual conference, education chairperson, President of Christ’s Church Women, in district offices with United Methodist Women, as well as in other roles and going on mission trips. She and David initiated and led a Stephen Ministry program at Christ’s Church. Jo Ann and David were among those who re-started the ecumenical campus ministry at Western Oregon University in the 1990’s, serving for a time as campus ministers. Jo Ann remained active on the board of that program until her last year of life. She and David provided housing for a succession of college students over the years. They were also active in the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity and in Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a local low-cost housing initiative; with the local chapter of the Red Cross; with Heifer Project; with Polk County Historical Society, including being founding members of the Museum at Rickreall and the Brunk House Historical Farmstead; they were active with Friends of Gentle House, and WOU Emeritus Society. Jo Ann and David were recognized for their volunteer contributions to the community when they jointly received the Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce First Citizen Award in 2003.

Jo Ann was widowed for a second time on Sept. 6, 2009, by the death of David C. King. For the past 10 years she has continued in as many of her volunteer activities as her health has allowed. She had several chronic health conditions which should have prevented her from the activity level and contribution to her community which she achieved, but her identity was as a helper and her true joy in life was in working in community for the betterment of all. Jo Ann’s family is grateful to the staff at Salem Clinic, particularly Dr. Irene Fu, and the many specialists who cared for Jo Ann over the year. And we are grateful for the care of Visiting Angels and Serenity Hospice in her final days.

JoAnn was preceded in death by her husbands, John Emery Grund and David C. King, her parents, her sister Nancy Ellen Gayler, her brothers, Winfred “Bo” Gayler and Jim Gayler, her sister-in-law Joan Gayler, her step-son Corbin King and step-son-in-law Bob Swartz, and her grandson, Joseph Grund.

She is survived by her brother Bob Gayler (and spouse Jeanne) and brother William L. Gayler; her sister-in-law, Betty Gayler; her children (and their spouses) Linda M. Grund-Clampit (Howard), Curtis B. Grund (Grace) and John M. Grund (Jennifer); her step-children (and their spouses), Leslie Swartz, Marshall King (Nancy), Addison Jacobs (Don), and, Julia King; her grand-children (and their spouses), Adam Grund-Clampit (Ashley Kothen), Ben Grund, Molly Grund, Sam Grund, John Grund, Willa Grund, Hayden Grund, Brianna Swartz-Prasad (Ashwin), Adrian Swartz (Jaclyn), Miles King, Riley King, Shelly Jones-Jackson (Adrian), Jesse Jacobs (Ying), Nathan King, Max King, Marilee Aton (Owen); and her great-grandchildren, Harrison Grund-Clampit, Devon Swartz-Prasad, Quinten Swartz-Prasad, Anna Swartz, and Lincoln King.

For those who would like to honor Jo Ann’s memory with a gift, her family makes the following suggestions: Christ’s Church: Methodist and Presbyterian United, Monmouth, Ore; Polk County Historical Society, Polk County, Ore. (specifically for Brunk House); Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing - Emory University; Southern Poverty Law Center.