Joan Frances King, 91, of Wake Forest, NC, passed away on January 28, 2024, after a long illness with dementia. She was born in Wiconia, MN, on May 26, 1932, daughter of the late Horace and Margaret Kunze.

Joan was a registered nurse and received her bachelor’s degree from St. Catherine University. She worked as a nurse at hospitals and skilled nursing facilities, taught nursing classes, and also served as a substitute elementary school teacher.

Joan was an expert at sewing and knitting: dresses, blankets, pillows, curtains and wall decorations, etc… skills she learned from her grandmother. She was an excellent cook and baker, especially cookies that she sent to relatives and friends during Christmas. Joan loved volunteering at her church and working at the local library.

Joan married Frank King on November 26, 1955, in Chaska, MN. In addition to MN, they also lived in SC and NC. Joan and Frank enjoyed traveling, especially the annual trips back to MN, and loved watching college basketball together. Both were devout Catholics and former members of St. Philip Neri Catholic Church.

In addition to her parents, Joan was preceded in death by her husband Frank, and son, Joe of Concord, NC. She is survived by her daughter Sharon (Mike) of Raleigh, NC, and son Pat (Tricia) of Wake Forest, NC; grandchildren Christopher of Wilmington, NC, Patrick (Liz) of Wendell, NC, and Connor of Durham, NC. She is also survived by three siblings, Carol Schmidt, Gail (Vernon) Buller, David (Joyce) Kunze, and many nieces and nephews.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 1PM, Friday, March 22 at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church in Fort Mill, SC.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzeimer’s Foundation at www.alzfdn.org.