Melissa “Angel” King

Raleigh - Melissa “Angel” King, 40, was called by God Sunday during a protracted seizure.  Born in the suburbs of Chicago, IL to Richard Raymond King and Carol Ann Palider King, she spent most of her life in North Carolina.  Melissa graduated from Cardinal Gibbons High School, attended the N.C. School of the Arts and worked in the family business at Around Again and A Bridal World.  She was called by God while out of state attending the Bench Jeweler Master Program at the New Approach School for Jewelers.  Melissa was very artistic and used this gift in many ways through her life – from costume design and fabrication to website design and maintenance, store layout, and display window design.  Her other passion was her pet rats.  She had many pet rats through her life and assisted in rehoming abandoned and abused rats, giving behavioral advice to fellow rat enthusiasts and working to change the stereotypes associated with rats. Melissa is survived by her parents, Richard and Carol of Raleigh, NC; sister, Kimberly  and husband, Brian, of Efland, NC; brother, Richard and wife, Tomomi, of Huntersville,  NC; sister, Lucille and husband, Ray, of Clayton, NC; brother, Matthew of Raleigh, NC; four nieces, four nephews and three pets: Faith, Truth and Hope. The viewing and funeral mass will be held Monday at noon and 1:00pm, respectively, at Saint Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church in Raleigh, NC. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Epilepsy Foundation of NC (www.EpilepsyNC.org/donate.html).  Please also visit www.epilepsy.com to learn more about this surprisingly common disease.