Known for her kindness

Elia Powers

“Elegant” and “sophisticated” were the words most often uttered at

Lois King’s memorial service Friday at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian

Church in Newport Beach.

They were also two of a dozen adjectives written in bold letters

on a photo montage that honored King, a Costa Mesa resident and

longtime elementary school teacher.

“She was friendly and did everything with a degree of dignity,”

said Forrest Werner, who lived a few doors down from King for nearly

20 years. “She was a lady within the neighborhood.”

A 40-year Orange County resident, King died March 12 of brain

cancer. She was 71.

Born in Cumberland, Md., in 1933, King split her time between

Maryland and West Virginia during her childhood. She embraced the

Southern lifestyle, becoming a cheerleader and band member at her

high school.

In college, King met her future husband, Richard M. King. He went

to dental school and Lois helped pay his way through school with her

salary as a teacher.

The two wed in 1960 and moved to California shortly thereafter.

She continued to teach as a substitute in the Newport-Mesa school

district and then accepted a full-time job.

She taught briefly at California Elementary School, but spent the

majority of her career -- 16 years -- at College Park Elementary

School.

In addition to teaching regular classes, King instructed English

as a second language and continuing education students in the school

district.

Fellow teachers, many of whom attended the memorial service,

called her “Mrs. Lois,” because the proper title seemed fitting.

And “Mrs. Lois” went out of her way to learn details about the

kids in her classroom.

“Her students had to have liked her,” Werner said. “She always

remembered their birthdays and special events.”

One of her favorite activities was track and field, and she rarely

missed a meet.

“She was so caring,” said Buzz Amble, a retired College Park

teacher. “It bothered her if any child was having a problem.”

Friends and family say that trait was evident in all realms of her

life. Richard King said his wife would be genuinely upset after

reading about a tragedy in the newspaper.

Co-workers said she had a humorous side, though King rarely

acknowledged it. They referred to “Loisisms” -- short catchphrases,

like “We’ll just have to see about that,” said with a slight Southern

twang that became synonymous with King’s personality.

She won a plethora of teaching awards at her school, and a

scholarship fund was recently started in her honor.

Speakers at the Friday service said King was known for performing

random acts of kindness. She planted flowers in her neighbors’

gardens. She bought presents for friends’ children, even when it

wasn’t a special occasion. And she once supplied a friend with

bottles of wine before the friend embarked on a cruise.

“She was the most caring person I’ve ever known,” Richard King

said.