After 81 years of loving and serving her family, friends, community, and the Lord, Dianne Marie Maples King passed away peacefully on June 20, 2024, at her home in Huntsville, TX, surrounded by loved ones.

Dianne was born December 21, 1942, in Crockett, TX, the eldest child of John and Doris Maples. The family moved around the country when Dianne was a young girl and later returned to live on the family farm in Houston County. Dianne grew up in and around the small, close-knit communities of Austonio and Lovelady, where she looked after her younger brothers and everyone she knew.

She attended Lovelady High School where she was a standout basketball player, a passion she nurtured for the rest of her life. Soon after graduating in 1961, Dianne married her high school sweetheart, Larry King, and they have remained at each other's side for the past 63 years. In the years that followed, they welcomed two boys, Larry, Jr. and Lance, whom she loved dearly.

As a young mother in the early 1970s, Dianne enrolled in "beauty school" and became a licensed beautician. A full-time mom every day, she managed to work every Saturday to provide salon services to the elderly residents of Whitehall Nursing Center in Crockett. She also gave countless haircuts and perms to family and friends over the years.

The family moved to Huntsville in 1974, where Dianne later worked for several years as the Warden's secretary at the Ellis Unit of the Texas Department of Corrections. Though her true love and passion remained that of being a wife and mother, Dianne joined Larry in following in the footsteps of his parents, Jimmy and Laura King, when they opened King's Candies and Ice Cream on the downtown square in 1981.

Dianne was a beloved leader in the local business community and the face of King's for 25 years. She was actively engaged in downtown revitalization efforts, Main Street Huntsville, and the Huntsville/Walker County Chamber of Commerce. When she wasn't making candy with Larry, she was serving customers with her big smile and even bigger personality. She instilled in her employees a strong work ethic and cared for them like family. Dianne's famous chicken salad, pimiento cheese, and warm hospitality made King's the town's go-to lunch spot for a generation.

Dianne loved nature and enjoyed working for hours in her yard and flower beds, and she took great pride in sharing that beauty with others. She also loved to cook! For her, cooking for others was one of the many ways she demonstrated her love and care for everyone and it was always something delicious and made from scratch! Whether it was for Larry and the boys, for large gatherings of family and friends, or a neighbor in need, she always made everyone feel special.

She relished taking care of her family and being a homemaker always giving generously of herself and putting her family first; a beloved wife and mother,
grandmother ("Mimi"), great-grandmother, sister, "Aunt Di," and a dear friend to so many more.

For Dianne, her strong Christian faith ran deep. And though physically limited in recent years following a stroke in 2016, she was a dedicated member of the Northside Baptist
Church community.

Dianne is survived by her loving husband and tireless caregiver, Larry; son Larry, Jr. and wife Kay of Huntsville; son Lance and husband Eric Hanauer of New York City; granddaughter Kaci Wells and husband Alex of Huntsville, granddaughter Kori Lampson and husband Jared of Austin; and precious great-grandchildren Keaton and Kipp Wells; brothers John Maples (Diane), Arch Maples (Winkie), and Bob Maples (Kathy), as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family, and countless friends — all of whom she held dear.

Pallbearers will be Shawn Blair, Wyatt Carney, Rodney Crosby, Jay Maples, Rodney Park, and David Spinks.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that you consider giving flowers to a loved one in Dianne's memory or do something nice for a neighbor, carrying on Dianne's generosity of spirit.

The family will receive visitors on Sunday, June 23 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at Heritage Oak Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 24 at 2:00pm at Northside Baptist Church, 1207 FM 980, in Huntsville, with Reverend Reagan Cooksey officiating. Interment and a graveside service will immediately follow at Lovelady Evergreen Cemetery.