Amy (Katherine) Harding King, a Poughkeepsie Resident, Dies at 82

Amy (Katherine) Harding King passed away peacefully at home Saturday morning, May 6, 2017.  Amy was born in her family home on April 27, 1935 in Milton, Nova Scotia, the youngest of 6 siblings. She was predeceased by brothers Harold, William (Bill) and James (Jim) Harding and sisters Mary Hamway and Flora Colmer.  She moved to Framingham MA in 1952 where she later met and married Arthur E. King Jr.
Amy worked as a bookkeeper while her husband attended Princeton Seminary and in 1967 moved from New Jersey to Poughkeepsie NY with their 2 sons. She became a US citizen in 1972 but not jokingly questioned the wisdom of that decision after last November.
Amy was employed in the nonprofit sector most of her career including positions as Bookkeeper at the Poughkeepsie Day School, Manager of Admiral W.F. Halsey Apartments, Business Manager at The Institute of Ecosystems Studies at The Cary Arboretum until retiring in 1993 after 10 years as Head Administrator of The Rancho Santa Anna Botanical Garden in Claremont California.
While in Poughkeepsie she was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church where she served on Session as an Elder, and formed many special friendships that would last her entire life. She became very active in United Way and Church World Services fund raising programs and events. She put her skills and experience to good work while serving on the board of the Dutchess Interfaith Council for several years as well, helping to bring local Churches together to create programs to benefit the elderly and low income families as well as international fund raising efforts such as the annual Crop Walk which was close to her heart.
Her compassion and acute sense of right and wrong lead Amy to garner support in organizing and establishing funding for Grace Smith House Women's Shelter which opened in 1981, occupying the property that had been her family's first home in Poughkeepsie.  She was very proud that she and a handful of caring people could identify a much needed service that was not being provided and make it a reality. In her free time Amy enjoyed gardening – roses in particular but any flower would make her smile. She was an avid reader, regularly finishing 2-3 books a month and loved taking her young granddaughter Hannah along to the Mid Hudson Children's library often. A catastrophic fall resulting in severe back injuries left her home bound for the past several years.
Amy is survived by sons David King and James King,  and his wife Christine, their daughter Hannah Elizabeth as well as 9 nieces and nephews across the US and Canada. Hannah was the joy and light of Amy's life and she reveled in every moment she spent with her beautiful granddaughter. She loved and supported her family fiercely and they miss her dearly already.
A Memorial Service is planned in her honor for close friends and family on Thursday, May 11 from 5:30pm – 7:30pm at the Parmele, Auchmoody & Schoonmaker Funeral Home, 110 Fulton Ave., Poughkeepsie.
In lieu of flowers, Amy and family request donations be made to Grace Smith House. http://www.gracesmithhouse.org/about-us.