Emma Jane King, 100, previously of Rapid City passed away Saturday, April 11, 2026, in home hospice in Ventura, CA. Emma was born March 1, 1926, in Miller, SD, the fourth child of Louis and Neva (ADAMS) Wilson.

She graduated from high school in 1944. She volunteered for the Nursing Corps, was accepted, and began training in Sioux Falls, SD. She decided this was not the right choice for her, but found a job with a federal government agency in Huron, SD. This was where she met her future husband, Robert Paul King, after he returned home from northern Italy at the end of World War II. They married on December 16, 1945, and were married for 62 years before he passed away in 2008. Over the course of more than 30 years she worked for 5 federal government agencies.

Emma was active in the Methodist church and sang in the choir for many years. She was very active in the VFW Auxiliary, even serving as the President of the SD State VFW Auxiliary one year. Emma was a willing volunteer with school and other activities her children were involved in as they grew up. In Ventura she volunteered many years in daughter Ginger’s classroom.

Survivors include her children Barbara Ripple, of Rapid City, Robert (Kay) of Colorado, Ginger (Vern) Novstrup of California; as well as eight grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and six great-great grandchildren.

Emma was preceded in death by her parents, husband, siblings, and daughter Paulette.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 23, at Canyon Lake United Methodist Church with light refreshments to follow.

Burial will follow at 1:30 p.m. at the Black Hills National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to UMCOR, the VFW National Home, Habitat for Humanity, the Heifer Project, local food bank, or plant a tree in her memory.