DELAWARE — A park bench next to Blue Limestone Park’s pickleball courts serves as a perfect spot to rest after a heated match.
But more importantly, it’s a spot for a passed competitor to sit and watch from beyond.
On that bench is Emily King’s name, a lifelong Delaware resident who passed in 2022 at the age of 66. King lived a storied life filled with outdoor adventures and friends who cherished her so much they donated the bench in her honor as part of Delaware’s commemorative bench program in 2024.
From 40-plus years as a public information and education manager at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Watercraft, to starting a ladies’ pickleball group at Blue Limestone, King did more than most during her life.
“As a watercraft officer, she trained fire departments, EMS, and even school-age children in water and boating safety,” King’s obituary states.
“She was a training director at the National Safe Boating Council and an education committee member of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. In 1998 and 2008, she received the Safety Award from this organization for her impressive work in promoting boating safety.”
During the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, King was in charge of the water rescue team for the whitewater slalom races, where she achieved an amazing 51 documented rescues.
Her obituary specifically points out how important her large network of friends and fellow pickleballers were after she lost her two siblings at an early age.
As someone who didn’t know King, it brings this reporter a lot of joy to say that her network of friends is still strong today and misses King dearly. I received six testimonies about who King was and why the group rallied together to have a special place in her honor.
How King’s friends remember her
King grew up in a house on West William Street that overlooked Blue Limestone Park, and two of her friends, Paul Monks and Teri Bevan, said you can see her house from where her bench sits.
“When I heard of her tribute park bench, I had to go see it. She loved her pickleball,” Bevan said. “As I sat on that bench remembering Emily King, I looked up the hill and saw the house she grew up in.
“How ironic it is that you can see her bench from her old house at a place that she loved so much. We miss our dear friend.”
Trista Todt first met King on the court and recalled how much King meant to her every time they played the sport they both loved so much.
“What started as a casual group of players meeting at Blue Limestone Park quickly grew into a vibrant, tight-knit pickleball group,” Todt said. “At the heart of this dedicated group of women was Emily, a phenomenal player and an even better friend.
“With the courts regularly packed with players, the group decided there was no better place to install a memorial bench than the very spot where Emily brought so much joy to the game.”
Another member of the pickleball group, Mary Beth, said King was always competitive during the Tuesday and Saturday morning meet-ups, and her favorite thing to do with King on the court was practice cross-court dinks.
“Emily was a generous and loving supporter to her friends and fellow pickleball players, engaging new players and mentoring them along as they built their skills,” another pickleballer named Pam said.
Beyond pickleball, King’s friends also recalled her strong presence at Rural Chapel Methodist Church for over 30 years. Serving as the music director, King played piano every Sunday.
Bevan, who first met King in first grade, said her favorite memory of King was listening to her play the piano.
“Emily had a deep faith in God. She was very active in her church and was the music director,” another friend, Patti Smith, said. “When she was diagnosed with cancer, she kept her deep faith, saying she knew God had a plan for her. She had a personal Bible she would keep with her always.
“When a neighbor was having to move with nowhere to go, Emily took her in until she was able to find another place to live.
“So you see, Emily was very special.”
