Virginia King

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Virginia King, 78, Jerseyville, formerly of Carrier Mills, died 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008 at Jersey Community Hospital in Jerseyville.

She was born in Mt. Carmel on Oct. 30, 1930, the daughter of the late James Basil and Frances E. (Case) Prather.

She was raised in Carrier Mills and married Ishmael Glenn King on June 11, 1947 in Morganfield, Ky. The two resided in several different locations throughout the state, but whether she was in Centralia, Kane or Bunker Hill she owned and operated beauty salons.

After returning to Jerseyville, she began working at Westtown Beauty Shop. In 1994, she began working as a hostess at the 518 South Restaurant and was employed there until its closing.

Surviving are three daughters and sons-in-law, Connie and Ronald Dean and Gaylene and Joseph McKennon, all of Jerseyville, and Nancy and Steve Rue of Dow; a son and daughter-in-law, Thomas and Ellen King of Springfield; nine grandchildren and their spouses, Lisa Jones of Jerseyville, Christy and Todd Barkely of Medora, Brad Dean of Godfrey, Bryan and Lisa McKennon of Jerseyville, Matt McKennon of Denver, Colo., Mark and Roxie McKennon of Jerseyville, Joshua Rue of Jerseyville and Whitney King and Michael King of Marion; two stepgrandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a brother, James Prather of Maryville; and a sister, Eleanor Stowe of Muncie, Ind.

She was preceded in death by her husband on July 10, 1994; a brother, Harold "Butch" Prather; and a sister, Nancy Parton.

Visitation was 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28 at Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville. Funeral services were held 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. The Rev. Jeff Moore officiated. Burial was in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Jerseyville.

Memorials may be given to the Jersey County Health Department.