Margaret Gooch King, age 86, of The Woodlands Nursing Home, Clifton Forge, Virginia, died Thursday, January 5, 2012 at the nursing home.

She was born May 5, 1925 in Covington, Virginia, to the late Leslie and Ella Harding Gooch.

She was a retired inspector for the former H. O. Canfield of Iron Gate and a past State Director for the Foundation for the Prevention of Alcoholism in Virginia.

She was a homemaker throughout her life and a wonderful mother of four children.

She attended Hoke's Chapel Methodist Church as a young mother, and in 1976, became a member of First Assembly of God Church in Clifton Forge, where she remained faithful for thirty-six years until she was taken home to be with the Lord.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Clifford King, Sr. in 1973; two sisters, Iris Horton and Dorothy Quesenbury; two brothers, Russell Gooch and Robert Gooch; and a son-in-law, Charles "Ikey" Simmons.

She is survived by two daughters, Kay King Simmons and Danna King Downey, both of Clifton Forge; two sons, Walter Clifford King and wife, Mary of Salt Rock, WV and John Clifford King, Jr. of Covington; two sisters, Ella Brisendine of Covington and Faye Arrington of North Carolina; eleven grandchildren, John Kevin King and wife, Anne of St. Augustine, FL, Amy Adair King of North Carolina, Jamie Lee Nickell of Sink Grove, WV, William Blair King of Covington, Sallie King Philpott and husband, Eddie of Hot Springs, Meg Newark and husband, John of Chapel Hill, NC, Diane Jackson of Maysville, NC, Andrew King and wife, Jennifer of Swoope, Twila Boyd and husband, Robbie of Clifton Forge, Kim Lee Putnam of Millboro, and Dreama Downey Wolfe of Clifton Forge; fourteen great grandchildren; one great great granddaughter; a number of nieces and nephews; and several special friends, including Peter Cardinal and a special friend and "daughter", Kay Hale.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, January 9, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge with Reverend Pam Irvine officiating. Interment will follow at a later date in Hoke's Chapel Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service on Monday, from 1:00 p.m. until time of service at Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge, Virginia.