Barbara King, 72, died peacefully on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center following a valiant battle to overcome radiation induced congestive heart failure from stage 4 breast cancer in the 1980's.
A Celebration of Life and funeral mass will be held on Saturday, March 31, 10:00 a.m., at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Cleveland, Georgia.
Originally from Hartwell, Georgia, Barbara King studied at Georgia State College for Women (GSCW) now Georgia College, UGA, and Georgia State University where she was a member of Mu Rho Sigma National Honor Society.
Known for her brilliant mind and unsurpassed energy, Barbara King retired in 2009 as executive vice president with Primerica Corporation and Citigroup. Spanning a career that took her all over the globe, Barbara's many accomplishments include creating and directing ALW Media Management Inc. A full in-house print agency and a meeting and conventions event company, ALW Media at the time of its creation in 1986, was the largest privately owned business satellite TV studio in the U.S. She became one of the highest ranking women in the financial services industry nationwide. Whether testifying as an expert in her field before congress, being interviewed by publications from the Wall Street Journal to Forbes, or solicited for advice by both republican and democratic policy makers, she was known as fair, thorough, and exceedingly bright.
In addition to her business responsibilities, Barbara was active in civic and community affairs. She was the first appointee by then Governor Zell Miller, who appointed her to the Georgia State Board of Education where she served for seven years. She also served on the board of advisors of Gwinnett Technical College, Brenau University, Georgia Council on Economic Education, Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services, Gwinnett Philharmonic, the Atlanta Conventions and Visitors Bureau, Scott Hudgins Arts Council, the Atlanta Chapter of the American Red Cross, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Gwinnett University, Annandale Village, and the Partnership Gwinnett steering and planning committee. A featured speaker in the "Success Lives Here" series in Gwinnett, her awards and recognitions were many. Profiled in the New York Times, Barbara King was named a Woman of the Year by the New York City YMCA, Heart Honoree by the Gwinnett Chapter of the American Red Cross, Public Service Award winner by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Volunteer of the Year by the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services Board and was named a United Way Women's Legacy Award Recipient. Upon her retirement, three separate student scholarships were named in her honor in recognition of her work on behalf of children and adults throughout Georgia.
Barbara King leaves behind a wealth of family and friends. She is survived by her husband and best friend of 53 years Al King of Clermont; by son Mike King (Sheenagh) of Clermont; daughter Kelly Herndon (Mark) of Gainesville; and grandchildren Leilah King Kemp (Alex) of Tifton; Cameron King (Jenn) of Denver; Colin King of Clermont; Winston Herndon, Adam Herndon, and Claire Herndon of Gainesville. A supreme joy in her last few years was to see grandchildren do well and to experience a beloved first great-grandchild, Charles Alexander (Charlie) Kemp III of Tifton. Barbara King is also survived by brothers Gerald Temple (Gail) of Social Circle, John Temple (Ouida) of Sky Valley, sister Rosemary T. Calhoun (Barnwell) of Tifton, sister-in-law Pat Atkinson of Blue Ridge formerly of Hartwell, and sister-in-law Kathy Payne of Easton, Maryland as well as numerous and beloved nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by parents J.C. and Sallie Mae Temple of Hartwell, Georgia; brother Amos Cleveland "Pete" Temple of Hartwell; sister Dr. Jean Johnson of Jackson, Mississippi; and sister Kathy Temple of Hartwell, Georgia.
A sincere thank you is extended to the care given at Northeast Georgia Medical Ronnie Green Heart Center - Dr. Alan Wolfe, Dr. Daniel Winston, Dr. Sean Sumner, Dr. Mark Kats, Dr. Monisha Garg, Dr. Brenda Hot and so many others, particularly the nursing and hospice staff.
Barrett Funeral Home of Cleveland will handle arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Annandale Village, 3500 Annandale Lane, Suwanee, GA 30024-2150, www.annandale.org, or to St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 1243 Hulsey Road, Cleveland, GA 30528.
