Rev. Judy King

COLUMBIA - A service to celebrate the life of Rev. Judy King will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 22, 2022 in the Washington Street United Methodist Church sanctuary, 1401 Washington Street, Columbia, S.C. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.

Rev. King, 80, died at home on Friday, November 18, 2022. Born in the Bush River community of Newberry County, she was the daughter of the late Lamar and Ida King. Although Judy felt a call to the ministry as a young woman, she saw no one in the pulpit who looked like her. Therefore after graduation from Newberry High School in 1960, she earned a B.A. in English from Winthrop College in 1966 and a M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from USC – Columbia in 1972.

A pivotal time in her life was her involvement at First Baptist Church in Charleston, S.C. She made a brave decision to attend seminary – at a time when few women did – earning a MDiv from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1979 when the late Randall Lolley was president. Yet another meaningful time in Judy’s spiritual journey was her 1979 ordination at First Baptist Church in Charleston. In the book Adventure in Faith: The First 300 Years of FBC in Charleston, SC, the authors chronicled “ – for the first time in [its] history, the church ordained a woman to the Gospel ministry. It was a service of great solemnity and much jubilation when Miss Judy King knelt for the laying on of hands.”

She began her ministerial career in Raleigh, N.C. at Creedmoor Road Baptist Church, Holloway Street Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. and finally at Shandon United Methodist Church in Columbia, S.C. In 1981, she sought a change and returned to her teaching roots. Seeing it as another call to the ministry, she taught ninth grade at Eau Claire High School for two decades. After her retirement from education, she completed her professional life as a chaplain for four years at what was then Palmetto Health Baptist Hospital.

Judy is survived by her partner of 29 years, Paula Walters; siblings, Lamar King (Corinne) of High Point, N.C.; Connie Uldrick (John) of Clinton, S.C.; nieces and nephews, Connie Gilliam (David) of Irmo, S.C., Chris King (Marianne) of High Point, John Uldrick (Jennifer) of Cartersville, Ga., Adair King of Clinton, S.C. and Lucia Higgins (Gabe) of Winston-Salem, N.C. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brother and sister-in-law, Ronnie and Kay King.

Judy was devoted to her family and loyal to her friends. She took to heart St. Paul’s admonition in Thessalonians to “therefore encourage one another.” She wept with those who mourned and rejoiced with those who celebrated. She enjoyed driving (fast), power walking in her neighborhood, trips to Beech Mountain, reading books in all genres from Paul Tillich to Debbie Macomber, listening to a good sermon (and taking notes), red barns, and early morning quiet times with God.

Most of all, she desired a connection with the Divine. That connection is now complete, and Judy has “entered into the joy of [her] Lord.”

Thanks be to God.

Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.