Barbara J. King, 81, of Elkhart, passed away on Sunday, January 2, 2022, at Memorial Hospital in South Bend. She was born on June 20, 1940, in Celina, Ohio to the late Dale and Mildred (Andrew) Hamilton.

Barbara is survived by her children, James "Jeff" King and Michele (Noel) Zuniga; grandchildren, Nicole South and Jennifer (Ryan) Freeman; great grandchildren, Alexa and Abigail South; sister-in-law, Joyce Phillips; cousins, Susan and Scott Phillips; and faithful Shih Tzu companion, Coco. She is preceded in death by her parents and husband of 35 years, James King.

In accordance with Barbara's wishes, cremation was chosen and will take place at Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St. in Elkhart. A private family celebration of life gathering will take place at a later date.

Barbara was a sweet, caring, and independent woman who had a big heart and enjoyed giving to those in need. She worked as the chief of internal medicine for 35 years at the Elkhart Clinic. Barbara was a classy lady who loved to shop and was always fashionably dressed to the nines. In her spare time, she enjoyed spending as much time as she could with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. During the holidays, Barbara loved to decorate her home with her expert interior design skills and made excellent meals for her family. She also enjoyed baking her famous pumpkin cookies that she would give to family and the local police officers and firefighters. Barbara will be greatly missed by her loving family and many friends.