Gertrud Lauterbach King, 89, formerly of the West Cedar Creek Lake Community, died Sunday, March 28, 2021 at St. Mary's hospital in St. Louis. Born May 8, 1931 on a farm in Henkendorf, in Eastern Germany, she was the fifth of six children of the late Josef Lauterbach and Elisabeth (Richter) Lauterbach. Near the end of World War II, her family left the farm ahead of the arrival of the Soviet army and spent a year as refugees before escaping to her parents' home town of Flrsheim am Main, near Frankfurt. After working in a chocolate factory, a year in a convent, and another as an au pair in England, she found a job in the convenience store on a small US Army Intelligence post. There she met Joseph A. King, an Air Force Sergeant to whom she was married for 51 years prior to his death on November 2, 2013. They lived in Lompoc CA, Little Rock AR, Tucson AZ, Los Angeles CA, before owning and operating Evening Shadows RV Park in Tool for nine years until retiring in 1997. They were members of Saint Jude Catholic parish in Gun Barrel City, Texas. After Joseph's death, she lived in North Potomac MD, Alton IL and Saint Louis MO. Strong in her faith, she was active in her local parish everywhere she lived, often singing with the choir. Her survivors include her children Sister M. Josefa King FSGM of Cruzeiro do Sol, Brazil; Joseph W. King of La Caada, California; step-children, Linda R. Witt-King, Susan L. Drilea, G. Michael King and Donna C. King; grandchildren Kari Leigh London, David M. Katz, Jasmin S. Bulin, Jennifer R. Drilea, Alexi C. Drilea, Allison E. King, and Ryan T. King. Other survivors include her brother Josef Lauterbach, and many beloved in-laws, nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends 9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Thursday, April 8, 2021 at Donnellys Colonial Funeral Home, 606 West Airport Freeway in Irving, Texas. A committal service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday at Dallas/Fort Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, Texas 75211 (Lane 3) Father Bernard Boteju will officiate. A recording of the visitation and the service can be seen here: https://youtu.be/0JKzTKiPY5Q SERVICES

Visitation

Thursday, April 08, 2021 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home 606 West Airport Freeway Irving, Texas 75062

Committal Service

Thursday, April 08, 2021 11:00 AM

Dallas/Fort Worth National Cemetery Lane 3 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway Dallas, Texas 75211