Joan Sylvia Stevens King, 90, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. She was born on October 1, 1935, in Northumberland, New Hampshire, to Josephine (Legare) and Harold Stevens. She was the middle child of three with a brother, Paul; and a sister, Margaret.

She was raised on a small farm in a rural, northern New Hampshire community. Her father worked at a paper mill and assisted farmers in the neighboring areas, while her mother was a homemaker.

She attended schools in the Groveton, New Hampshire School District from first grade through her junior year in high school. During those years, she learned to play the violin and played with the school orchestra. She also learned to play the piano. She joined the Congregationalist Church in seventh grade, was secretary of the youth group and participated in church and community activities related to the church. She later became a Catholic. To earn money, Joan babysat and did payroll for an individual her sophomore and junior years of high school.

At the end of her junior year of high school, she moved with her mother and sister to Littleton, New Hampshire, where she graduated in June of 1953. She worked part-time at a drug store soda fountain the first school semester and at New England Telephone & Telegraph her second semester. She remained with the telephone company for four years, advancing to supervisor before taking a lifelong occupation as wife and mother.

She met her husband-to-be, Ted King on a blind date in 1954, and they married in April of 1956. Three children, Steve, Janet and Ron King, were born in Littleton, New Hampshire.

Thanks to her encouragement, the King, family moved to Hot Springs, in 1962, where Ted became superintendent at Lake Catherine Footwear. Three more children, John, Carole, and Ted King, Jr. were born. The three decades in Hot Springs were filled with all the joy and tribulations that accompany a large family.

Joan oversaw all things on the home front. Her strong suit was money management. She knew how to live within their means and stretch Ted's income to cover all the bases necessary for the family of eight.

She volunteered for many school and extracurricular activities her children participated in. During any free time she had raising her children, she pursued a few interests of her own. These included being an active member of the YWCA, where she exercised, swam, volunteered in the fitness studio, and served on the Board of Directors twice. She chaired the Membership Committee and was active in fund raising for the "YW."

She was also active at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. At St. John she was a member of the Parish Council and chaired the Social and Social Services Committees. When her children attended St. John's School, she was secretary of the School Board. She also volunteered for playground duty, transported children for educational and social events, and assisted with fund raisers for the school.

Once all six of her children had graduated from high school, she started formal education at what was then Garland County Community College, now National Park College (NPC). She received an Associate's Degree in General Education, transferred to Henderson State University in Arkadelphia and completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. She later earned a Master of Science Degree in Counseling. She was an instructor at NPC and worked as a Counselor at Rivendell Behavioral Health Hospital in Benton.

Knitting was always a favorite hobby. She knitted for her children and grandchildren, making beautiful blankets, sweaters, vests, mittens, and toboggans throughout the years for them as well.

She divorced in 1995 and moved to Little Rock, where she worked for Griffin Leggett Funeral Home. She found much happiness helping many families plan for their funerals and memorial services.

She remained single for several years before meeting Dan LaMaster, a retired engineer with a penchant for flying. She often accompanied him as he piloted his plane to various airports around Arkansas, most usually to have lunch in an interesting location before returning to the Saline County airport. They shared more than ten happy years together before he passed away in February of 2019.

Joan moved to Russellville later that year to be near daughter, Carole. She enjoyed the retirement living community there and made many friends among her neighbors. She joined St. John Catholic Church and attended faithfully with her friends, Mary Jo, Sharon, Aaron, Ann, Celeste, and Damien. She later moved to Brookdale Senior Living, where she delighted in the kind caregivers and residents, as well as the luxury of not having to cook and clean.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents and siblings; her son, Steven Boyd King; daughter-in-law, Marsha Oliver King; and granddaughter, Melissa Ann King.

She is survived by her children, Janet King Keller of Hot Springs Village, Ron King of Hot Springs, John King (Dawn) of Las Vegas, Nevada, Carole King Tarvin (Jim) of Russellville and Ted King, Jr. of Arlington, Texas; a daughter-in-law, Arlene Flax King of Kissimmee, Florida; grandchildren, Sara King (Andrew) of Portland, Oregon, Adam King (Emily) of Belleville, Illinois, Mary Katherine Keller of Boulder, Colorado, Erica King (Alex) of Little Rock, John King, Jr.(Autumn) and Kyle King (Katie) of Las Vegas, William Sparks (Emily) of Pocahontas,  Christopher Sparks of Jonesboro, Andrew, Brandon and Josephine King (Devon) of Arlington; and great-grandchildren, Roman and Violet King of Las Vegas.

The Funeral Mass will be at St. John Catholic Church in Russellville at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, August 22, 2026, under the direction of Shinn Funeral Service of Russellville. A private Rite of Committal will be held at a later date at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock.

Online guestbook and condolences available at www.shinnfuneral.com.