Emily Ethel Marsh King

Emily Ethel Marsh King, 89, of Beaumont, died Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Born in Livingston, Texas, on September 14, 1936, Emily began life in Leggett, Texas, the eighth of twelve children born to Ruth Henrietta McCormick Marsh and Manton Eddie Marsh. Emily attended school in Leggett Independent School District, graduating as class valedictorian in 1952, at the age of fifteen. Emily also achieved remarkable success playing forward on Leggett High School’s Pirates Basketball Team. As a youth, Emily became a faithful member of Leggett Baptist Church, beginning her lifelong Christian walk.

After high school, family circumstances called for Emily to delay pursuing higher education and enter the workforce in Livingston, where she eventually began a rewarding tenure working at First State Bank. In Livingston, Emily met and married the love of her life, Wayne King. Early in their marriage, Emily and Wayne lived briefly in Houston, Texas, where Emily worked in banking and Wayne attended Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service. Emily and Wayne then made Beaumont, Texas, their permanent home and started their family, welcoming a son in 1962 and a daughter in 1964.

As a young wife and mother in Beaumont, Emily continued her education at Lamar State College, earning a Master’s Degree in 1970. On campus, Emily served as an officer in Sigma Alpha Eta, a National Honor Society for Speech and Hearing Therapy. Emily earned and maintained professional certification: CCC-SLP (Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology). Until retirement in 2001, Emily had a distinguished and fulfilling career as an in-school Speech Pathologist, first working in the Vidor district, then in the South Park district, and finally in the Beaumont district. Emily abandoned retirement in 2006 to serve fifteen additional years as Speech Pathology Supervisor in the Port Arthur Independent School District. As well as in her service to public education, Emily’s caring and giving heart was evident in her community involvement. Emily served as a volunteer counselor at the Hope Women’s Resource Clinic and as a faithful volunteer facilitator in her cherished Bible Study Group.

Emily is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Larry Wayne King, Sr.  Emily and Wayne celebrated their sixty-fourth wedding anniversary before Wayne’s death on February 21, 2022. Emily is also preceded in death by one sister and seven brothers, June Catherine Marsh Suddarth, Manton Eddie Marsh, Jr., Rogers Herndon Marsh, Mark Wilson Marsh, John Thomas Marsh, James Douglas Marsh, Judson McCormick Marsh, and Stephen Bob Marsh.

Emily is survived by two children Larry Wayne King, Jr. and Karen King Funchess and her husband, Tim.  She is also survived by five grandchildren, Tommy Funchess and his wife, Mandi; Katherine Funchess Hope; Brian King and his wife, Bethany; Johanna Funchess Harrison and her husband, Nicholas; and Troy King. Emily is survived by twelve great-grandchildren, Ashton Funchess, Thomas Hope, Emily Funchess, Phoebe King, Molly Hope, Wyatt Funchess, Jonathan Hope, Elliot Harrison, Willa Funchess, Conor Harrison, Iona  King, and Jonah Harrison.  Survivors also include one brother, Laban M. Marsh and his wife, Tommy Nan; two sisters, Polly Ruth Marsh Lapham and Loree Marsh Vernon; and numerous extended family members and friends.

Emily’s family extends sincere appreciation to her nurse, Sharla Gonzales. The family also extends a very special thank you to the Director of Rosemary House Assisted Living, Amy Burch, and to the Caregiving Team Members, Yolanda Davis, Jessica Dugas, Jo Ann Jackson, Ironesha Harrison, and Gianna Sandoval. The family thanks Rosemary House not only for the exceptional care provided to Emily but also for the love, care, and support shown to her family.

A gathering of Emily’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at Broussard’s Mortuary, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. Emily’s family and friends are invited to gather for an additional gathering and light lunch, beginning at 12:00 noon, on Saturday, April 11th, 2026, at Bethel Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 8815 Farm to Market Road 350 North, Livingston, Texas. Her funeral service will follow at 2pm in the sanctuary of the church, with her interment to follow at Bold Springs Cemetery, located immediately adjacent to the church.