Individual Details

The Ponca City News, Ponca City, OK, Wed. 13 Oct 1948, p.14
Mr. & Mrs. John King of Ft Gibson announce the birth of a daughter, Susan Gayle, who was born Sunday Morning. The infant weighed 9 pounds, 14 ounces. Former residents of Ponca City, King was employed here for a number of years and Mrs. King worked at the bank and at Continental Oil Co.

FindAGrave #1854645033
Susan Gayle King Skillen, 68, of Little Rock, Ark., passed away Friday, Aug. 11, 2017, at her home. She was born Oct. 10, 1948, in Tahlequah, Okla., to John Hays and Alma Wagoner King. At 6 months of age, she and her family moved to Hayti, Mo. After graduating from Hayti High School, she attended one year at the University of Missouri, graduating with a BES degree from Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardean, Mo. She taught sixth grade in Hayti and Webster Grove, Mo, for three years, then embarked on a career in ladies fashion.
As her great-aunt Grace Hays was ready to retire, Grace asked her if she was interested in taking over management of Hays and King Clothing Store in Van Buren, Ark. In 1973, in partnership with cousin, Jim Buchanan, she began operation Hays and King as manager. With the business up and running, she became involved in her community. She served as a member and president of the Van Buren Chamber of Commerce and was member and president of the GFWC chapter, latedr serving as the 1988-1990 state president. She involved herself in PEO chapters in each city in which she lived and was a member of D.A.R.
In 1984, Gov. Bill Clinton recognized Susan for her exceptional accomplishments with her involvement in the Arkansas Community Development Program. ...... (Fort Smith Leadership, Crawford County Adult Learning Center in 1994, Van Buren Outstanding Citizen of the Year, Iverson Rigg Memorial Award in 1996)
She was a devout member of St. John United Methodist Church in Van Buren, where she served as Sunday school teacher, youth leader and i different capacities on various church committees. She also served on the merger committee that founded Heritage United Methodist Church in Van Buren. Her faith was always an important part of her, and she lived out her faith daily.
After Susan married Richard H. Skillen on Oct. 15, 1993, she decided to close her clothing business and follow him to his home in Pine Bluff. Upon arrival, she became director of the Clean and Beautifulchapter and later took a position with theAlliance of Jefferson County as a volunteer coordinator.
Following her husband;'s retirement in 2000, her brothers invited her to join the in the family grocery business in Eastern Arkansas and Southeast Missouri. At that time, the move was made to Wynne. ....,so her job with Hays Supermarkets as human resource manager was a perfect fit.
While living in Wynne,...involved in the Wynne First United Methodist Church, serving as Sunday school teacher and in different capacities on various committees.
In April 2015, she decided to retire and move to Little Rock to be closer to her grandchildren.
Mrs. Skillen was preceded in death by her parents, John Hays and Alma Wagoner King.
Survivors of Mrs. Skillen include her husband, Richard H. Skillen: one daughter, Kady S. (Alan) Hill; two well-loved grandchildren, Emerson and Whitaker Hill; brothers, David A. King and his wife, Joyce, and Michael J. King and his wife, Kay; nieces, Amy Louise (David) Gullic, Susannah H. King, Joy D. (Dan) Crunk and Jan S.(Lee) Workman; nephews, Jon D. (Ashley), Michael J. (Jessica King, Jeff (Sara) and Joe (Anna-Darin) Skillen; 16 great-nieces and great-nephews and four great-great nieces.....
Memorial services for Mrs. Skillen were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15 at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home in Little Rock, Ark. Visitation was held from 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14. ....
Roller-Chenal Funeral Home of Little Rock, Ark., was in charge of arrangements.
Pemiscot Press - Caruthersville, Mo. - Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Birth	10 Oct 1948	Tahlequah, Cherokee County, Oklahoma
Marriage	15 Oct 1993	Living
Death	11 Aug 2017	Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas

Spouse	Living
Child	Living

Father	John Hays King (1913 - 1960)
Mother	Alma Golda Lorena Wagoner (1912 - 1971)
Sibling	Living
Sibling	Living