Stephanie Hope King

Her nickname as a young adult was “Mighty Mouse,” and she embodied this moniker until the end. Stephanie Hope King, 77, of Williamsburg, Virginia, died on September 5, 2023.

She was born in Los Angeles, California, on March 13, 1946, to parents Robert B. (Bob) Hope, a physician from Hawai’i who served in WWII, and Marian D. (Jerry) Hope, a nurse. After attending Marlborough School for Girls, Stephanie earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Southern California. In the early 1970s, she taught History at Louis Pasteur Junior High School in South Central Los Angeles. She later recounted how her students, who included a couple of the famous Jackson family children, taught her how to dance between lessons. It was August 11^th, 1973, that her life changed for the better. She went on a blind date in Dana Point with Bob King. The clichéd “whirlwind romance,” was created for them; they went on three dates and then Bob proposed after a week. They were inseparable for the next 50 years. In 1975, she moved to New York with Bob, and their daughter Allie was born there in 1976. Stephanie got involved in the local community in multiple roles, including as the President of the Junior League of Larchmont, and President of the Westchester Historical Society. In 1996, Stephanie and Bob moved to Williamsburg, Virginia, where they joined Bruton Parish, learned to play golf, and enjoyed attending events in CW. Philanthropy was paramount to Stephanie who, along with Bob, supported numerous organizations including Bruton Parish, Marlborough School, Habitat for Humanity, the Human Society, Doctors without Borders, University of Southern California, and countless others.

Stephanie is survived by her beloved husband Bob; her daughter Allie; her stepchildren Tracey (Doug), Sandy (Rose), and Scott (Kristine); her grandchildren Dylan, Solace, Julia, Caroline, Alexander, Grace, Jack, and Alex; and her beloved cat JoJo.

A memorial service will be held at Bruton Parish Church at 11am on Monday, September 11. Those who wish to express sympathy may consider donating to The Humane Society (humanesociety.org) in Stephanie’s name.