Patricia Joan (Warner) King (1929 - 1973)

Born 3 May 1929 in Alden, Hardin, Iowa, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Frank Wesley King — married 16 Dec 1949 (to before 1962) in Hubbard, Hardin, Iowa, United States

Descendants

Died 6 Mar 1973 at age 43 in Iowa City, Johnson, Iowa, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Saphyre Rogers-Berry [send private message]

Biography

Patricia Joan (or Joanne depending on the record) was born May 3, 1929, the daughter of Elizabeth Mark and Howard Warner, in Alden, Iowa.^[1][2] Her first years were spent in a house on her Warner grandparent's farm where her father worked. According to her baby book, Patsy as she was known as an adult, was sometimes referred to as Joan, and in other records there is reference to her middle name being Joanne.

Around 1932, Elizabeth and Howard divorced and Elizabeth and Patsy moved in with Elizabeth's oldest sister, Beulah Ose and her family. At some point after 1934 but before 1936, Elizabeth took a job as a housekeeper in the household of Ernest Fichtner who had two young daughters on his own after his wife's death (Oral Alfield Feeden - died 1934). Elizabeth and Ernest got married in 1936 and combined their households allowing Patsy to grow up with her two step-sisters, Ardythe Elaine Fichtner (2 years younger) and Audrey Beverly Fichtner (2 years older). Elizabeth and Ernest also had 2 boys of their own; Rodney Fichtner, born in 1940 and Royce Fichtner, born in 1945.

Patsy graduated high school from Hubbard High School in Hubbard, Iowa in 1946 at age 18. After high school, she attended Drake University for 2 years in general studies where she met her husband, Frank King. Patsy left college and married Frank, Dec. 16th, 1949 in Hubbard, Iowa. After the wedding, they returned to Des Moines, where Patsy worked at an insurance agency doing underwriting. As of the 1950 census, they were living in the Drake Trailer Park and Patsy was about 7 months pregnant.^[3] Their only son Mark King was born there on July 25, 1950^[4].

At some point before 1962, Frank and Patsy separated and then divorced. On November 7th, 1962, Patsy gave birth to her second child, Saphyre Rogers-Berry in Des Moines, Iowa. Jean's father was Richard Rogers. Patsy and Richard did not marry.

In 1966, hoping to provide her son Mark with a better education, Patsy moved from Des Moines to Ames, Iowa, where she worked at the USDA National Animal Disease Laboratory as a lab tech. Patsy suffered from severe diverticulitis which after moving to Ames, steadily worsened, until she was forced to quit working sometime around 1970.

In February of 1973, Patsy's illness became critical and she was told that without major surgery, she would die. She was admitted to the University Hospital at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa where she stayed for 3 weeks. This was an attempt by doctors to build her body back up from years of her debilitating disease. Finally, on March 6th, Patsy was taken to surgery and died when given blood of the wrong type.^[5]

Patricia Joan King was buried in the Hubbard cemetery next to her mother Elizabeth Mark and step-father, Ernest Fichtner on March 9, 1973.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: "Iowa, Birth and Stillbirth Records, 1921-1947"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 104103504; Image number: 3482
   FamilySearch Record: QPJG-7XSJ (accessed 11 October 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSG4-L9DS-2
   Warnes born on 3 May 1929, daughter of Howard O Warnes & Elizabeth Ann Marks, in Alden, Hardin, Iowa, United States.
2. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
   citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T626; Line: 89; Digital film/folder number: 004950810; FHL microfilm: 2340393; Image number: 105; Sheet number: 8; Sheet letter: B; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03793-5
   FamilySearch Record: XMJ6-HQ1 (accessed 11 October 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RHS-XB2
   Patsy Joan Warner (0), single daughter, in household of Howard Warner (21) in Iowa Township, Iowa, Iowa, United States. Born in Iowa.
3. ↑ 1950 Census: "United States 1950 Census"
   citing Page: 18; Line: 19; Digital film/folder number: 109003588; Image number: 20
   FamilySearch Record: 6F3K-QXLD (accessed 11 October 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QHK-9QHW-THR2
   Patricia J King (20), wife, Underwriter, in household of Frank W King (30 years) in Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, United States. Born in Iowa.
4. ↑ Death of son Mark Ernest King: "California Death Index, 1940-1997"
   FamilySearch Record: VPS1-LZN (accessed 11 October 2023)
   Fichtner in death record for son Mark Ernest King 9 Jan 1995 in Los Angeles, California, United States.
5. ↑ Death: "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007"
   citing Digital film/folder number: DI0001099
   FamilySearch Record: 6K7T-PFGX (accessed 11 October 2023)
   Patricia Joan King death Mar 1973 (born 29 May 1929).
6. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #126590751 (accessed 11 October 2023)
   Memorial page for Patricia Joan “Patsy” Warner King (3 May 1929-6 Mar 1973), citing Hubbard Cemetery, Hubbard, Hardin County, Iowa, USA; Maintained by Grasser (contributor 47600919).

• Rogers-Berry, Saphyre, daughter of Patricia. Personal recollection, 8 Nov 2019.