Gayle King

Gayle Lynn King was born March 27,1952 in Washington DC and she passed into the presence of her Savior on October 18, 2018. She fought cancer since her diagnosis in January 2018.

She is the daughter of the late Howard G. Stoughton and the late Valerie(Ralon) Stoughton.

She is survived by her husband of 36.5 years M.Steven King; her daughter Anna King; her sister Charlene Shanrock; two aunts; multiple cousins, nephews, nieces, and brother and sister-in-laws. She was preceded in death by her sister and brother, Darla Liesegang, and Mark Stoughton Sr.

Gayle King were temporary residents of the Ferndale community of Glen Burnie. Her home for the last 22 years is in the Ivory Coast, West Africa (Côte d'Ivoire) where she serves with her husband as missionaries with Baptist Mid-Missions, Cleveland, OH.

Gayle was born into the family of Rev. Howard and Valerie Stoughton. From her earliest years she was taught from the Word of God and at the age of four she accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior. Her father and mother taught her principles that carried her through her entire life. Some principles she learned and lived were: serving others, hospitality, compassion, forgiveness, family, fun, humor, sacrifice, friendship, personal Bible study, and worship of God. She was a student of the Bible, God's Word and applied the truths from God's word daily. She counselled Anna a few days before her death to have her tools for Bible Study close by. Most importantly her family taught her to love her Savior, Jesus Christ. It is that love for her Savior that drove her to give her life sacrificially and tirelessly to Him.

She attended grade schools in the Brooklyn Park area. After graduation from Brooklyn Park High School in 1970, she attended Clarks Summit University then named Baptist Bible College of PA. She graduated with a Bachelor of Religious Education (BRE) in Elementary Education in 1978. She worked her way through college and to complete her education.

Gayle and Steve have known each other since 1968, as they were members of the Townsend Avenue Baptist Church. He was the best friend of her brother, Mark. Some think the only reason Steve was at the house so much because Gayle was there. While that is not really true in the early years, Gayle's beauty, personality, and charm did turn Steve's heart towards her as he and her brother were together. The rest is history. Gayle's passion to serve God and Steve's passion to serve God brought them even closer together as dear friends. Convinced that they could serve God together wherever He called them, Gayle and Steve were married on April 11, 1982. On that day, the two friends vowed their lives together as best friends and became passionate about their marriage and even more passionate about each other.They started a life of service to Jesus Christ and were inseparable.In 1983, Steve and Gayle moved to Hanover, PA where they made their home a haven to family, friends, youth and students. Their door was always open.

They had no children of their own but in 2013, they brought their daughter Anna, a citizen of Ivory Coast, into their home after she had lost her father and mother. Steve and Gayle adopted Anna, in July 2014. Gayle said of her, "Anna is the child of my heart." The three of them served together in the Ivory Coast and Anna is preparing to go to Ambassador Baptist College in Lattimore, NC.

Gayle's first teaching position was at Arlington Baptist School, where she taught from 1978-1990. She considered her teaching as both an in classroom and out of classroom ministry and mission for the Savior. She taught middle school students English and Bible. She was an exceptional teacher to all age groups and was frequently invited to challenge adult women's classes and groups. As a middle school teacher, she believed it was her role to reinforce biblical teaching and values from the classroom that parents were teaching at home. She also thought it was important to love other parents' daughters and sons.

She taught the Old Testament of the Bible in the middle school and had a passion for all things Jewish. She had the Hebrew alphabet across her classroom wall and as a regular activity from year to year celebrated a Christian Passover feast. Her all time favorite secular movie is Fiddler on the Roof.

Not only was she a teacher, but an exceptional counselor to students and adults alike. Her gifts from God truly were teaching and encouragement. Along with her teaching at Arlington Baptist School, she was a cheer-leading coach for 11 years and a student advisor for multiple years to the student leaders.

In 1988, Steve and Gayle took a trip to Liberia, West Africa upon the invitation of veteran missionary Rev. Roy "Chick" Watkins. At this point they were members of Hope Baptist Church, of Hanover, PA. They were able to see, hear, and experience life on the mission field for the first time. After this trip, they returned to the United States and they were moved by what they had experienced. Convinced that God was calling them to a different ministry, missionary service, they were accepted by Baptist Mid-Missions in 1989. After 18 months of presenting their ministry, they left for the Ivory Coast in November 1991. November 2018 marks 27 years of continued ministry and 29 years of service with Baptist Mid-Missions.

Gayle and Steve traveled to several countries over the years in their missionary service. They learned French at Laval University in Quebec City Canada from 1995 to 1996. They served Liberian refugees and families in the western rural region "the bush" of the Ivory Coast and distressed people in Liberia from 1991 to 1994. They also ministered in Bordeaux France for a year as replacements for a missionary in 2003.

Gayle's ministries in the Ivory Coast have included: music director, guitarist, Sunday school teacher, Bible Institute professor, English as a second language teacher, literacy teacher, conference speaker, ladies group teacher and advisor, children's club organizer writing all the teaching materials, typist, treasurer, youth ministries organizer, host to missionaries, audio video specialist, computer teacher, just to name a few. She worked with her husband to establish two Baptist churches over the years. She also labored with her husband and established a four-year Bible Institute in the Ivory Coast. Because of the institute, at least seven more churches have been established from the eastern border to the western border of the Ivory Coast. Gayle traveled to all these churches and ministered in these villages with her husband.

Gayle was passionate about the message of the Gospel, that Jesus Christ died in our place to redeem us of our sins and give us eternal life. Her whole life was a book where this message could be seen and heard. She never hesitated to share the Gospel message and saw her difficult situations as an opportunity to share the gospel. After her bout with cerebral malaria and renal failure in 2002, she was evacuated to the American Hospital in Paris France. At the check out from that stay she met a woman who had been searching for God. With tears in hers eyes she quickly concluded that God allowed this to happen to bring her across the path of a soul searching for salvation in Christ. These were her thoughts now as she battled cancer, whom would God bring along her path with whom she could share the gospel. And true to His ways, God gave Gayle an open door to share the gospel with a young 23 year old technician at Mercy Medical Center as she had problems going into her CT scan.

Almost everyone calls her "Maman" (momma) in the Ivory Coast. She has this great term of endearment because the people knew she loved them. Gayle's heart was in Africa with the people she loved. Gayle wore her necklace with her African map with the cross imposed over this almost everywhere she went. In fact, a few weeks ago when her doctor told her that her cancer is incurable, she cried sobbing and said before anything else, "Africa is gone for me!" Today, pastors and wives, missionaries and wives, men, women, youth and children whom Gayle labored and touched mourn. "Maman" is not returning home.

Gayle loved making an impact when she returned to the US every four years. Her trademark upon our return was to give out seashells, african sand-dollars, and "Hot" rocks to anybody and everybody in US churches. Collecting these along the beaches of the Ivory Coast was her hobby and she did this with such passion.

It was Gayle's desire to return to the Ivory Coast this month. But God had different plans by calling her to her heavenly home and completely healing her body.

These past days as Gayle lay in the hospital bad, her life was no different that it ever was. She was so lovely. The fruit of the Holy Spirit was evident, as she was bound to that bed, and there was the sweetest spiritual fragrance from her that was unmistakable. She was in tremendous pain and discomfort, especially as she had the breathing tube ventilator placed. Jesus Christ was ministering to her. The Holy Spirit was present and gave her incomprehensible peace. I believe everyone from her family, friends, visitors, and medical staff could sense that here was someone with whom God was ministering. She was so lovely in her manners and interaction with everyone. She was so grateful for the littlest act and expressed her thankfulness.

Gayle's last days and last hours showed all who were there or visited how a person who walked with God for over 60 years faces the hour of death - by faith. Gayle's mind was as sharp as it ever was those last few days and she wrote many pages of notes to us, because of the ventilator she could not talk. In a note to Anna and me she said she could not bear to see us suffering and wanted us to honor her choice. Gayle made a faith choice to remove the breathing tube. She expressed that the tube is man's invention, and she wanted to remove the tube and let God decide. She served us by making that choice, so we would not have to make it. In one of her last notes to us she said, "I trust God and know He is still in control."

On Thursday October 18, at 6:27 am she wrote a note to the hospital,"I want the breathing tube out this morning. We will let God choose if He wants me to breath. Thank you for all. Gayle King"
There was a song that Gayle listened to almost everyday and often many times in a day as she was on this journey and battle against cancer. We prayed as a family and many prayed for her healing.

This song expresses so clearly what Gayle believed about her situation with cancer and hope in Her God.

EVEN IF
They say sometimes you win some
Sometimes you lose some
And right now, right now I'm losing bad
I've stood on this stage night after night
Reminding the broken it'll be alright
But right now, oh right now I just can't.
It's easy to sing
When there's nothing to bring me down
But what will I say
When I'm held to the flame
Like I am right now
I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone
They say it only takes a little faith
To move a mountain
Well good thing
A little faith is all I have, right now
But God, when You choose
To leave mountains unmovable
Oh give me the strength to be able to sing
It is well with my soul
I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone
I know the sorrow, and I know the hurt
Would all go away if You'd just say the word
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone
You've been faithful, You've been good
All of my days
Jesus, I will cling to You
Come what may
'Cause I know You're able
I know You can
I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone
I know the sorrow, I know the hurt
Would all go away if You'd just say the word
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone
It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

She shared this song with me, Anna and many others even after her last diagnosis that her cancer was terminal. We shared this song together on Wednesday evening Oct 17.

Gayle was motivated in all she did and in all her days by a simple verse of Scripture. She did not want to dishonor God in any action, word or thought.
Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Gayle talked with God everyday and that is why she was so lovely.
Written in honor of my wife for the glory of God,
Steven King
October 20, 2018

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Baptist Mid-Mission in MEMORY OF GAYLE KING.
Gifts given will be used to further the Gospel ministry in the Ivory Coast.
Baptist Mid-Missions
PO Box 308011
Cleveland, OH 44230-8011
https://www.bmm.org/

The family will receive visitors at Singleton Funeral and Cremation Services, P.A., 1 2nd Ave, SW (at Crain Hwy), in Glen Burnie, on Thursday, October 25th, from 6-9 PM. The family will also receive visitors on Friday, October 26 from 5:00-6:45 PM at Arlington Baptist Church 3030 N. Rolling Road Windsor Mill, MD 21244, where a service celebrating her life and glorifying Christ will be held following viewing at 7:00 PM. Interment will be held at Calvary Bible Church in Lusby, MD on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018 at 2:00 PM where her earthly remains will be laid to rest next to her parents and other relatives.

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