Denise King

Denise King, 97, of Anita, Iowa, passed away Friday, October 16, 2009, at Colonial Manor in Anita.

Denise Maxine Dorsey was born August 27, 1912, to Frank and Nellie (Hoffman) Dorsey in Atlantic, Iowa. She grew up in Anita and attended school there.

On August 27, 1930, she married Kenneth King and they moved to the King family farm east of Anita where they raised their family of three children. Denise worked along side Kenneth milking cows and raising chickens. She loved to work outside, took pride in her garden, and canned a good supply for the winter. When the family farm was sold, Denise and Kenneth moved to Des Moines, Iowa, and began working for The Travelodge Corporation in 1960 as motel managers. They managed motels in Quincy, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri, before retiring to their home in Pleasant Hills, Iowa. The Travelodge kept calling them back from retirement and Denise worked full and part time as a bookkeeper for the Des Moines unit until she was 75.

She and Kenneth loved flowers and always had a beautiful yard. Denise treasured visits from her family and was a proud grandmother.

When Kenneth passed away in 2001, Denise moved to the Sunrise Apartments in Anita and then to Colonial Manor in 2004.

Surviving are her children; sons, Rex King and his wife, Darlene of Des Moines, Iowa, Richard King and his wife, Monica of Ankeny, Iowa and daughter, Jannes and her husband, Neil Aupperle of Anita, Iowa; eight grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth; her parents; a sister, Verlaine Kirkham; and a brother, Corwyn Dorsey.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, at the United Methodist Church in Anita, Iowa, with visitation one hour prior to the funeral. Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery in Anita, Iowa.

Hockenberry Family Care in Anita, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.