John Patrick King

John Patrick King was the youngest son of John and Lena King (née Ryan) from Rose Rock Terrace, Wexford, Ireland. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Barbara, his parents, his brother Thomas, and his sisters Mary Murphy and Kathleen Mernagh; also, by his niece Ann Boeswald, and by his nephew-in-law Paddy Barry.

John is survived by his cherished and much-loved family: nine nieces, four nephews, and their spouses; grandnieces, grandnephews, and great grand nephews. He is sorely missed by relations and friends from the Slaney Valley in Wexford, across to the Wisconsin lakes and south into the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Professor John King excelled throughout his unending educational itinerary from early years at St Peter’s College, Wexford, onwards at the Irish College in Rome, and later at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies. He also learned greatly from the turbulent years of the Vietnam war and the Irish “Troubles.”

He and Barbara moved to Shepherdstown, WV, where John taught in the Department of Education for 28 years. As he describes it, “education presents the ideal of a world, where there is a respect for law and order, and justice triumphs.” His perspective in the classroom and outside of it, was one which was ever enlarged by a philosophical, intercultural, and comparative curiosity; at the same time, it was ever colored by a singular sensibility, a Celtic connection to land and sea, fauna and flora, religion, poetry, and music. Even as his health began to fail in recent years, that sensibility only deepened and brought him peace.

St. Agnes Catholic community, in Shepherdstown, WV, which traces its origins back to wandering Irish immigrant laborers, became part of everything John affectionately called “home.” He and Barbara were active members who generously shared their gifts within the wider local community. John will be deeply missed.

Slán abhaile! (Welcome home.)

A funeral Mass will be held at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 106 S. Duke Street, Shepherdstown, WV at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Internment will follow at the St. Agnes Columbarium Garden.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Agnes Church, P.O. Box 1603, Shepherdstown, WV 25443 or please consider donating to Briggs Animal Adoption Center, 3731 Berryville Pike, Charles Town, WV 25414.