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Norma Mae (Spacil) King 1932-2019
obit_jm_norma king.jpg
Norma Mac (Spacil) King 1932-2019

ELLINWOOD — Norma Mae (Spacil) King, 86, peacefully passed away Monday, April 1, 2019 at Woodhaven Care Center in Ellinwood.

Norma was born May 11, 1932 to Ernest Frank and Alice Marie (Batchman) Spacil at the family homestead on the Barton/Stafford County line. She attended St. Joseph Catholic School in Ellinwood and Sacred Heart Academy in Wichita. While attending Sacred Heart, Norma entered the sisterhood at the Dominican Convent where she took her initial vows as a Novitiate. A short time later she left the convent and returned to graduate from Sacred Heart. She went on to receive her Registered Nursing Certificate from St. Rose School of Nursing in Great Bend and worked as an RN for Drs. White, Swan, Evans and Hill. 

On January 12, 1957, she married Kenneth Ballard King in Ellinwood. They were married for 58 years before Kenneth passed away August 31, 2015. 

Norma was a member of Prince of Peace Parish, St. Patrick Catholic Church and its Altar Society. Her Catholic faith was important to her. She was an active member of the Daughters of Isabella, serving as Vice Regent, Regent and Past Regent. In recent years, she was welcomed to and enjoyed celebrating weekly Mass with the Sisters of the Dominican Convent.

She was very active in her children’s lives and activities and served in Camp Fire as a Bluebird and Camp Fire Leader, Board President and Camp Chu-Wa-Ni Director. She also served with the Boy Scouts in Pack 120 as a Den Mother, Den Leader Coach and Committee member, and with the Cheyenne District of the Kanza Council as a Committee Member, Cub Chairman and Key Three Member. She was a recipient of the Silver Fawn Award. 

Norma is survived by her children, James King and his wife Diane, Pittsburg; Karen Smith, Great Bend; Lori Jacobs and her husband Paul, Great Bend; Martin King and his wife Julie, Lenexa; and Jason King and his companion Kendra Beakey, Great Bend; and 11 grandchildren, Alyssa and her husband Matt Cook; Nichole and her husband Shiloh Walker; Jayme King and her fiance’ William Dorr; Dustin Rhodes and his companion Lora Saul; Andrew and his wife Amanda Jacobs; Alexander Jacobs and his fiance’ Becky Tolle; Austin Jacobs, Adam Jacobs, Haley and her husband Ian Evans; Spencer King, and Hayden King. 

Additional survivors include seven great-grandchildren, Cameron and Donovan Cook, Tripp Walker, Gaige Gunderson, Zoey and Kason King, and Isabella Rhodes; one sister, Marilyn Brehm, Phoenix, Arizona; and special friends Ken and Lisa Edgett, Great Bend, and Margaret Bartholomew, Great Bend. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Norma was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and brothers Ronald Spacil and Raymond Spacil. 

Visitation will be held from noon to 9 p.m. with an Altar Society Rosary at 4 p.m. and Vigil Service with Daughters of Isabella Rosary held at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 5, at Bryant Funeral Home. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 6, at Dominican Sisters of Peace Convent in Great Bend with Father Don Bedore celebrating. Burial will be at Lakin Comanche Cemetery in Ellinwood. Friends may call from 12 to 9 p.m. on Friday at Bryant Funeral Home. 

Memorials are requested to Dominican Sisters of Peace or the Daughters of Isabella in care of Bryant Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.


Funeral arrangements provided by

Bryant Funeral Home

1425 Patton Road

Great Bend, KS, 67530 

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, April 3, 2019