King embodies service to people

By Guest Columnist Jacob R. Venuti

Pictured are Nancy Jo King and Jacob Venuti.

Nancy Jo King, a lifelong resident of Leland Mississippi, has for some time now dedicated her life to the service of the people. She began her career as an educator for the Leland Public School District, where she taught full-time for twenty-seven years. After her retirement, she began to teach part-time for Leland Elementary, as well as taught Adult Basic Education at Mississippi Delta Community College for ten more years.

Her late husband, Rusty King, served as alderman for Ward, where they both enjoyed their Leland home on Cotton Drive. Following Rusty’s death in October of 2014, Nancy Jo was appointed by Mayor Kenny Thomas to fill Rusty’s unexpired term from December of 2014 until June of 2015, when Nancy Jo decided to seek re- election. She has willingly and gracefully served since then, and she plans to seek re-election again in June of 2025.

Nancy has devoted her life to the service of other people, from being an educator to a public official; she constantly does her best to ensure that people’s best interests are considered. Nancy Jo also works at the Leland Food Pantry, where she serves the people of Leland who may need assistance with food and other materials. King said that her goal as a public official for Leland was “to continue to help keep the crime rates down and the success rates up.”

She is also a member of the Leland Chamber of Commerce. Each winter, she gets to enjoy one of Leland’s great festivities of Christmas on Deer Creek, where she gets to construct and plan the Christmas parade. In the little free time she has, she enjoys making pottery, visiting with family and friends, and reading a good book or watching a movie.

Nancy Jo is loved by all who are lucky enough to meet her, and she never meets a stranger. Leland is very lucky to have someone with such devotion and as much ambition as she has in order to get the job done. I knew when I decided to write about Nancy Jo, there was no need for an interview. Through many visits, dinners, phone calls and talks about our Italian families, who are distantly related, I knew I had learned enough to know what great of an impact she has had, along with many others in Leland. There are not many like her, but there are many who love her.