Elmer E. King, 90, of Cornwall, formerly of Jonestown, passed away on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Cornwall Manor. He was the husband of Mary Esther (Wert) King. On May 31, they celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary.
Born in Westover, MD, on June 30, 1934, he was the son of the late Amos and Agnes Ogburn King.
Elmer retired from the Lebanon VA Medical Center, where he had worked as a Psychiatric Nurse Administrator for nearly 30 years. He was an active member and song leader of the Gingrich Mennonite Church, a member of the Izaak Walton League of America, and a Friends of the NRA officer.
Elmer lived his life as a servant to others, starting at age 12, taking care of his three siblings while his mother was terminally ill with lymphoma. He chose a servant career position, entering into psychiatric nursing in the early 1960s. While starting this career, he aided his two brothers financially to attend medical school. He chose to work in the VA hospital in Lebanon to serve the mental needs of our veterans from several wars. He lived his life helping others in the community by fixing broken-down lawnmowers and other devices, only to give them away to people in need from his surroundings. His example of living in servitude to others has been a model for his friends and family to follow.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son, Bruce, husband of Patricia (Rodgers) King, of Lancaster; daughter, Sharon, wife of Arlen Wilbers, of Quakertown; brothers, Walter, husband of Miriam (Hostetler) King, of Hickory, NC, Daniel, husband of Jeannette (Neuenschwander) King, of Dover, OH, William, husband of Barbara (Isdell) King, of Fruitland, MD, and AJ, husband of Crystal (Lehman) King, of Westover, MD; sisters, Miriam, wife of Wilmer Dagen, of Salisbury, MD, and Rosa, partner of the late James Hargot, of Santa Rosa Valley, CA; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Harry, late husband of Rosemary (Gerber) King, of Harrisonburg, VA, and sister, Ruby, wife of the late Columbus Dorsey.
A memorial service will be held on Feb. 1, 2025, at the Gingrich Mennonite Church, 100 Forney Road, Lebanon, at 11 a.m. A visitation with the family will be held one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the adjoining church cemetery at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Izaak Walton League of America, 707 Conservation Ln., Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
