On Saturday afternoon April 13, 2019 the Lord send for one of his little ones to come home.
It was time for his suffering to stop and go home to finally rest. So, John, obeyed like a good
Soldier. No more fighting, no more working, no more worrying, no more pain. So God beckoned him away and he just slept quietly away.
John was born on October 20, 1950 in the Miami Valley, in city of Dayton (Gem city), Ohio. He
was educated in the Dayton and Springfield public schools, joined the United States Marine Corp
for 6 years of services. He drove for Kenosha auto transport for 6 years then from Roadway Express and retired after 35+ years service.
John Anthony Maurice King, was preceded in death by his mother, Rosemary Luise (Dugger) Upton King and father, Malton Upton; both grandparents Rev. William and Roslie (Higgins) Dugger, uncle William (Billy) Dugger Sr., cousin Bonnie, his in-laws, Elder Willie Mack and Ethel (Penn) Johnson, four brother-in-laws, Willie Jr., Joseph, Kenneth, Johnson, Alan Cunningham, our twin babies.

He leaves to mourn, his wife, Sarah Dianne of 44 years, from that union four children, Jon Anthony M. Jr., Kamarr L.M.W.; one daughter, Tishna Dianne Rosalie King-Witcher (Kacel),
Torrence Z.V. (Tasha) King, five grandchildren; Champaynne King, Channele King of Lincoln, Nebraska, Torrence Z.V. Jr., Tyson King of San Antonio, Texas, Joshua Daniel Witcher of Martinsville, VA; two sisters-in-laws, Barbara Jean Cunningham, and Jillynn (Jerry) Whitlow; twelve nieces and nephews; one aunt, Betty Jean Ferguson (97 yrs), cousins, William Dugger, Jr., Jakey Smith, Marie Gilbert, of Dayton, Ohio, Patricia Griffin, of Philadelphia, PA, Carolyn Lander of Washington, D.C., Leslie Ann of California, Vicki Ross of Hersey, PA, Michael Doughty of Amityville, NY, and a host of cousins, Higgins, Dugger of Dayton, OH, Upton’s in Cleveland, OH, and cousins in Reidsville, NC; one uncle, Frank Johnson, Sr., of Spencer, VA, and a host of cousins in the area. Not forgetting his church family and friends in VA and NC, of Primitive Baptist Churches, and most of all his home church family at Galilean House of Worship, whom he dearly loved. His Pastor, whom he called Monsieur, Bishop Michael Penn and first Lady Angela.

John was not a shy person he always show himself as friendly and very outgoing, from his
upbringing. His grandparents in Dayton, Ohio were very active in church, society, and cultural family heritage. His family was in the forefront and in trents of what was seeing right up lifted,
whether it was civil, human, education, Christian rights, etc. His grandmother had a Master’s degree in the early 1940's when that was unheard of for a black woman. His Grandfather had a degree in theology seminary for western Methodist and pastored a church there. He came from a long line of preachers, teachers, and professors of music. As the grandson of Rosalie Higgins Dugger, John Anthony King is a direct descendant of John Davis, a 1780’s slave.
In 1802 John Davis escaped northern Kentucky and crossed the Ohio river with his infant daughter, Charity. Her mother was a Cherokee who is believed to have died by smallpox. John Davis settled with his daughter along the Miami River in the Miami Valley that is Dayton, Ohio where many of us still live today.
Charity Davis Caesar Broady was a bold freedom fighter who could not be enslaved because of her native heritage. From the Higgins-Dugger family line, twelve generations still reside in Ohio.
John Anthony King is among Charity’s Children.

The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at the Galilean House of Worship with a service for Mr. King starting at 12:00 p.m. at the church with Elder Michael Preston presiding and the eulogy by Bishop Dr. Michael Penn. Interment will be at the Mack Johnson Family Cemetery.

Norris Funeral Services, Inc. and Crematory, Martinsville, VA is serving the King family. Online condolences may be made at www.norrisfuneral.com.

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