Her daughter, Janice, then had to witness a four-year depression her mother-in-law, Eleanor Barnes, endured after losing her husband to a heart attack.
Janice encouraged her mom to go to the Grief Recovery Seminar — a program offered by the Mental Health Association and Preble County Counseling.
King asked Barnes to go with her.
The need was so great that the women helped start the widowed group. Eventually, this effort led to the creation of the chapter of Widowed Person’s Service.
King, Leslie Dillman, Betty Ledford Rose and Ester Miller (now deceased) started the Widowed Person’s Service in Preble County, which had been established nationally by Americans Association of Retired Persons.
In 2005, AARP decided to drop WPS nationwide to concentrate on other issues.
On April 6, 1983, a steering committee — led by Don Boucher, funeral director, who was elected president, attorney Will Mawer, attorney, and the Rev. Larry Polling — laid the foundation for the services in Preble County.
The volunteer coordinators were King, Dillman and Irene Lawson. Barnes would eventually serve as president.
Lawson started the group’s newsletter, The Bridge. Today, there are about 200 widowed recipients. For about the past five years, King has served as the newsletter’s editor.
Charlotte Barnhiser, widowed since 1984, the group has filled more than the void people suffer when they lose a loved one.
“I devoted myself to it,” Barnhiser said. “I would help widow, widowers with their problems and tell them what was available in Preble County to help them.”
Dorothy Stebbins, the group’s president, said when a newer member joins them they share have all of them been through the same thing, going through the grief process. They are told, if needed, to cry, go ahead.
Since there is no age limit, they work to connect with anyone who seeks their help.
“It is a good group,” Stebbins said. “Mostly it is good friendships. It gets you out and around people whom I think we all need. You realize everybody is in the same position.”
The Widowed Person’s Service meets every Tuesday to dine at a local restaurant, and Wednesdays to play cards at the Preble County Senior Center.
For more information, call the Preble County Senior Center at (937) 456-4947.
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