Rev. John M. King (Courtesy)

John Marshall King, Sr. was born March 9, 1934 at the Walton Cotton Mill Village, to the late Marshall Francis and Annie Mae King. John graduated from Monroe High School in 1952. John answered God’s call to preach the Word of God and was licensed by the Walker Baptist Church in September 1954. He married Ms. Frances Dailey on April 17, 1955. He and Frances along with the late Julia Short his grandmother (the late Love Short) moved to Macon, Georgia to attend Mercer University. John was ordained at his home church, Walker Baptist Church, in September 1959. John and Frances’s daughter, Rebecca, was born in Macon, November of 1959.

While John was a student at Mercer, he began his work as a pastor for three special small churches. He served at: Olive Hill Baptist Church, Island Creek Baptist Church and Powelton Baptist Church. John, distinctively, remembered his first Sunday at Island Creek when he arrived to find that somebody had stolen the pot-belly stove that heated the church. He and the congregation had to move the service to the community house near the railroad. His time of service at the Powelton Church was unique because it is the oldest existing Baptist Church building in the state of Georgia. It is noteworthy that Powelton Church was the first meeting place where the organization of the Georgia Baptist Convention took place. John graduated Mercer University in 1960 and continued to be the pastor at Island Creek through the Spring of 1963.

In the Spring 1963, John accepted the call to the Phillip's Mill Baptist Church in Washington, Georgia which was a full time Pastorate Ministry. This was the same church that had baptized and ordained Jessie Mercer, who later founded Mercer University in Penfield, Georgia. Mercer now has campuses in Macon, Atlanta, and others areas. Phillips Mill Baptist would be John’s longest pastorate of 14 years.

John, also, served as the pastor at Sandy Cross Baptist Church the last 5 years while in Washington.

Their second child, a son, Marshall, was born to John and Frances during their time in Washington.

John became a staple of Washington and the Tyrone Community where the family lived. He helped to organize and start the Tyrone Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as Fire Chief for many years. During the Big Snow of 1973 people in Tyrone community would get a message to Rev. King, and he would go up to Griffins store and get supplies and use the Fire Truck to deliver the items to the community members. The fire truck was the only vehicle able to move around in the 14 inches of snow. He also served as the Chaplin for the Wilkes County Rescue Squad and the National Guard unit that is based out of Washington. He was an avid golfer during these years; he competed quite successfully in yearly pastor’s tournaments. During his service as a member of the Georgia Baptist Historical Society, John was responsible for relocating the grave sites of the first pastor at Phillips Mill, Silas Mercer and his wife, to the current location of the church. In addition, John was able to have the original mill stones from the Joel Phillips Grist Mill relocated to the current church property.

In the spring of 1977, John felt the call to become the pastor at Union Grove Baptist Church in Gwinnett County, where he served 10 years. During this time, John became a member of the Masons. Under John’s leadership, the church began building the church fellowship hall, and he coordinated the church’s Centennial celebration.

In the spring of 1985, John felt the call to go to Nail's Creek Baptist Church in Homer, Ga., where he served until 1996. What was unique about this pastorate was this church was founded by his Grandfather, Moses Sanders some seven generations prior to him. During John’s time in Homer, he was instrumental in the building of the church fellowship hall. In addition, John returned to service with the Nails Creek Volunteer Fire Department. John found a love for umpiring and refereeing. He spent many afternoons calling high school baseball and softball games and on Friday nights in the fall, he could be found on the football field.

John retired from full-time pastorate in 1996, and he and Frances returned home to Monroe and back to Walker Baptist Church serving in a variety of ways. John was a deacon and served on several committees and led the Children's Church for 7 years. From time to time, John was asked to serve as a supply minister around the area. This led to him being called out of retirement to accept a call to serve as pastor of Alcovy Mountain Baptist Church for almost 10 years before retiring in 2013. John spent the next years being involved with his family, which included traveling just about every weekend in the fall to watch his grandson play football and ringing his cowbell.

For 70 years, John thought it was a privilege of serve the Baptist congregations of Georgia with these congregations being rural churches with longevity and rich histories for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Four of John’s pastorates were well over 200 years old, while four of them are well over 100 years old.

John considered it a privilege to attend the historical Bi-Centennial and Centennial celebrations of each of these churches. Some of these celebrations took place while he was the pastor. Yet, for other celebrations, John traveled back to participate and to see the churches continuing to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

He is survived by his wife Mamie Frances Dailey King, his Daughter Rebecca Anne King Chandler (Bill), his Son John “Marshall” King Jr. His Grandsons William Rogers Chandler III (Rachel Rogers) and Christopher Lee Chandler (Hailey Helvick) Nieces Shirley Dailey Evans (the late Gary Evans), Patricia Dailey Fulcher (the late Binnie Ray Fulcher), Brenda Dailey Stobaugh (the late Gaylen “Snow” Stobaugh). Nephews Warren Joseph Greene (Mary Wiley). Great Nieces Pam Evans (Gary Teeples), Kelly Stobaugh Fowler (Brandon), Stacey Stobaugh Towler (Jamey), Susan Hodges Wilbanks, Kathy Fergson Great Nephews Joshua Fulcher (Kelly), Jonathan Greene (Jan), Joey Greene ( Monta Lindsey), Keith Fergson, Mikel Stowe,. Great-Great Nieces Emily Wilbanks Ault (Michael), Brookelynn Fowler, Savanna Fowler, Riley Fulcher, Skylar Griffin, Levey Greene, Lelia Greene Great-Great Nephews Caden Fowler, Wayllen Fulchar, Bryson Towler, Colton Towler, Jacob Wilbanks, Little David Looney. King Family Cousins Angeline King (the late Luther King), Larry King (Paula), Loran King (Olivia), Andrea King Bayles (Doug), Susan King May (Ken), Patricia King Elias (the late Lee Elias), Jennie Ours (Matt), Bonnie Honaker (Casey) The late Jim & Valerie King Baker, Gary King (Jonalyne), Brandon King, Travis King, Garrett King, Kaitlyn King, Shane King, Manet Upak, Ara Upak . Preceded in death were his Grandparents Martin Luther and Belle King, his Uncle Spencer King (Hettie Ellen) and Uncle Will King (Winnie), Cousins the late Paul and Annav King and the late Jessie and Weltha King, his brother-n-Laws Robert Lee Dailey & William Thomas Dailey. His sister-in-laws Effie Dailey Stowe, Levey Dailey Greene, and Georgia Lee Dailey, Lois Dailey, Montine Dailey, Nephews Wallace Stowe and Johnny Green, Niece Willie Stowe Ferguson Great Nephew Kim Ferguson.

Visitation was at Meadows Funeral Home in Monroe, Georgia, Saturday, June 21st, 6 – 8 PM, and Sunday, June 22nd from 2:00 – 3:30pm at Walker Baptist Church with the funeral beginning at 3:30pm. Burial will be at The Dailey-Ivey Family Cemetery in Social Circle Georgia.

Arrangements by Meadows Funeral Home in Monroe, Georgia. Phone: 770-267-9406 website: www.meadowsfuneralhomeinc.com