Stanley Meredith King, Jr.

Mr. Stanley Meredith King, Jr., 97, of Mount Airy, passed away Friday, December 23, 2022, at the Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home in Dobson.  He was born January 12, 1925, in Fayette County, KY, the son of the late Stanley M. King, Sr. and Louise Weitzel King.  Stanley was blessed to live a long, interesting, and meaningful life.  Over the course of his 97 years, he was a professional baseball player, having played for the Braves, Cardinals, and Giants organization and the Mount Airy Graniteers.  A genuine war hero from WWII with five Battle Stars, he was an accomplished photographer and was of the Catholic faith.  Stanley was also a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and father-in-law.  He also had successful runs in banking and trucking.  He even worked as a short order cook while playing minor league baseball and he was especially known for his ground steak and eggnog recipes.  He and his wife, Jayne, had the prettiest and most productive gardens anyone ever saw.  His family can only think of a very few people who worked as hard or diligently as Stanley and Jayne did.  They always produced the best green beans and tomatoes.  Stanley was a perfectionist in everything that he did.  Whether it was washing his vehicles, laying out a garden, or mowing the lawn at Grace Academy, he did every task with an amazing level of attention to detail.  Stanley and Jayne were instrumental in the success of Grace Academy of Mount Airy.  He was a sweet man.  The world is a better place because he lived.  He will be missed.  Surviving are his wife of 75 years, Jayne Lowry King; his children, Kelly Stephens and her husband, Terrell, and Stanley King, III and his wife, Joan; his grandchildren, Lindsey Brim and her husband, Brett, Sarah Plyler and her husband, Michael, and Will Stephens and his wife, Clarissa; and his great-grandchildren, Cassidy Brim, Jase Brim, Annalise Plyler, Michael Plyler, Jr., Caspian Stephens, and Ronan Stephens.  In addition to his parents, Mr. King was preceded in death by his sister, Lettie Ann Vest; and his brother, Charles Fred King.  The funeral service will be held Wednesday, December 28, 2022, at 2:00 PM at Moody Funeral Home Chapel in Mount Airy, with the Rev. Richard Loman officiating.  Interment will follow at Oakdale Cemetery, with military honors by the VFW Memorial Honor Guard.  The family will receive friends Wednesday from 1:00 until 2:00 PM at the funeral home.