Loretta Jane King (née Force) passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 27, 2023 surrounded by her loving children and grandchildren. She was one month shy of her 88th birthday.

Born in Millville on September 4, 1935, she grew up near Laurel Lake. During her childhood, she developed a love of nature and enjoyed all manner of outdoor activities.  She graduated from Millville High School, Class of 1953.  During her late teenage years, she worked at Newberry's where her mother Gertrude Force was the long-time cook and later at Prince's Dress Shop where her future mother-in-law Alice King was the buyer and head salesperson.  Loretta married the love of her life John Rodney King in 1957.  They lived at Fort Lee, Virginia during his tenure in the U.S. Army.   The couple returned to Millville to establish their home and raise a family.

Loretta led a full life of employment and civic engagement.  Loretta worked in various positions at United Jersey Bank for 25 years, retiring in 2000.  She was a licensed real estate agent. She was a member of Trinity Methodist Church where she served as Sunday School Teacher and Girl Scout Leader. She and a group of her friends, all former Jay-C-ettes, created a monthly dinner club which lasted for almost 40 years. She was an excellent baker, and her delicious pies will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all who enjoyed them at family gatherings.  She was an oil painter and a long-time student of Pat Witt at the Barn Studio of Art.  Many of her paintings grace the homes of family and friends.  She served on the Millville Planning Board for several years.

Loretta was an avid gardener. She enrolled in the horticulture program at Cumberland County College only to place her education on hold when her young husband was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout his long and brutal battle, she regularly transported him to Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City and Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia for treatment. She provided not only nursing care to him but economic and emotional support to her family.  She shepherded her children through school, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts and served as the anchor of the family. She exhibited courage, patience, resilience, and integrity every day during her husband's illness and after his passing, and her children were well-served by the example she set.

Loretta was a dedicated wife and mother whose greatest satisfaction came from creating a peaceful and stable home-life for her family.  She was a reserved and intensely private person, but she was a loyal and true friend.  She was a good listener– a confidence shared was a confidence kept.  Her good deeds were done without hesitation or expectation. She delighted in the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren.

Loretta is survived by her three children:  Christina King Van Embden (Nathan) of Millville, New Jersey;  Dr. John Stephen King of Middlesex, North Carolina; and Mark Andrew King (Kathryn) of Ormond Beach, Florida; and her three grandchildren:  Seth Andrew Van Embden (Tom Hicks) of Guernsey,  Walla Walla WA, and Miami Beach, FL;  Elisabeth Sander Van Embden (Gabriel Gausachs) of Neshanic Station, NJ;  and Sander Dwight King of Middlesex, NC. She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews as well as her dear friends:  Marie Nicke, Anne Johnson, and Barbara Spaeth. She was predeceased by her parents Harold Holmes Force & Gertrude Sander Force, her brother Harold H. Force Jr., her sister, Gertrude Howgate, and her husband, John Rodney King.

Services will be held at the Barr Funeral Home in Millville, New Jersey on Thursday, August 31, 2023.  Friends and family are welcome to pay their respects between 9:00 – 10:30 AM; a brief memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM with interment at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Loretta's memory to local organizations:  Citizens United Maurice River, Barn Studio of Art, or Inspira Foundation.

The family would like to express our sincere appreciation to the doctors and nurses of Inspira Medical Center Vineland who provided such compassionate care to our mother during her final days.