Sybil West King

Sybil West King, 93, died on Wednesday, November 14, 2012, at her Lakeside Retirement Community residence. Memorial Services for Mrs. King will be Saturday, November 17, 2012, at 11:00 am at the First United Methodist Church, McKenzie, TN. Visitation will be at the church Saturday, November 17, 2012, at 10:00 am until service time. Mrs. King was born to John Walter and Mazie King West on October 6, 1919, in Shaw, MS. The following year they moved to Dyersburg where she attended school until graduation. She then went to the University of Tennessee Jr. College in Martin. She worked various jobs until she was invited to represent Dyersburg at the Cotton Carnival in Memphis, TN where she became Miss Tennessee. During this time she met her husband Chandler King who was a student at the United States Naval Academy. Two years later they married and lived in Hawaii and were there when Pearl Harbor was attacked. After years in the Navy, the birth of two daughters, it was decided, after much deliberation, to move to McKenzie. She dedicated her life to her family, her church and her community. She taught Sunday school for more than fifty years, was an officer in the Memphis Conference of United Methodist Women and the Wesley Service Guild. She was the first woman to serve as Board Chairman of her local church. She served as a leader of both Brownies and Girl Scouts and was active in Parent-Teachers Assn. As an avid gardener she was a charter member of the Morning Glory Garden Club following her membership in the McKenzie Garden Club. She was a member of R.S.V.P. and was a board member of United Way and the McKenzie Memorial Library. She also was past president of the Hospital Volunteers. Mrs. King was the co-owner of Southern Scientific, a business she & her husband began. In 2000 she was voted Business Woman of the year for Carroll County by the Chamber of Commerce; she was also listed in the Nationwide Registers Who's Who in Executives and Businesses 1999- 2000 edition. She was preceded in death by her husband, Chandler, her daughter, Kay Brignardello, and her sister Frances West Maes. She is survived by her daughter, Patty (Thomas) Oakley of McKenzie; five grandchildren: John (Amanda) Oakley, Mark (Cherie) Oakley, Heather (Robert) Mansson, Holly (Patrick) Yarbrough and Kristi Oakley; thirteen great-grandchildren: Laura Kay Oakley, Aaron Oakley, Cameron Oakley, Libby Oakley, Chandler Oakley, Carter Oakley, Henry Oakley, Jacob Yarbrough, Seth Yarbrough, Maddox Yarbrough, Maisey Mansson, Gates Mansson and Parker Mansson. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church, Carroll County Humane Society, and St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Brummitt- McKenzie Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. For more information please call (731) 352-4848 or visit our website at www.brummittmckenziefuneralhome.com