Sara King Dirkes, 68, of Waycross, died Sunday (Jan. 11, 2009) at the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon after an extended illness.
She was born July 28, 1940 in Waycross to the late John Henry King Jr. and Sara Singleton King.
She was a graduate of Waycross High School and attended Emory University where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority. She served as an officer for many organizations including the Waycross Lyman Hall Chapter of the D.A.R., St. Simons Fort Frederica Chapter of the D.A.R, Waycross Service League and United Methodist Women’s Organization. She was a philanthropist for Waycross Junior College and other organizations.
Like her mother, she was a gifted writer and was associated with the St. Simons Newspaper, the Islander and the Georgia Beat Paper for the Tennessee Walking Horse Association.
Next to her love of family and friends, she adored her horses and won many show championships.
As a gifted artist, she appreciated and enjoyed her talent and shared many of her works with others.
Along with her parents she was preceded in death by her stepmother, Clyde Byrd King; brother, John Henry King III; sister, Lorena King Miller; step-son, Richard Taylor Smith; and a niece, Sara Miller Harry.
She is survived by her daughter, Lori Smith Williams (special friend, Travis Dewayne Smith), of Macon; two sons, Robert John (Suzanne) Genins, of Brunswick, and Henry “Hank” Hale (Bonni) Smith, of St. Simons Island; step-son, John Layton (Robin) Smith, of Statesboro; sister-in-law, Amelia Genins, of Spokane, Wash.; seven grandchildren, Sarah Ellen Williams, Jessica Simon, Ben Britt, Alex Britt, Steven Britt, Robbi McCarty and Mathew Braddock; one great-granddaughter, Addy Simon; nieces and nephews, Charlotte King, Marta King Bordeaux, Gay King (Johnny) Darden, John Henry King IV, Walter Iverson “Butch” (Emily) Miller, Robert Singleton (Barbara) Miller, Erynne Genins (Brad) Braddock, Ethyan Genins and Simon Genins; numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.
A memorial service will be held 11:30 Thursday morning at First United Methodist Church of Waycross.
The family will receive friends in the Narthex immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First United Methodist Church of Waycross, 410 Williams St., Waycross, Ga. 31501, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Church Street Station, P.O. Box 780, New York, N.Y. 10008-0780 or Stratford Academy, 6010 Peake Road, Macon, Ga. 31220.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing online at www.milesodumfuneralhome.com
Miles-Odum Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.