Charlotte Joanne Rickman-King

Charlotte JoAnne Port Rickman-King passed away peacefully on January 22, 2020. She is now present with the Lord after 85 wonderful years. She was born to Edna Davis Port and Thomas Tolbert Port in March of 1934 in Rome, GA. Her mother was 40 and her father 56 when she was born, and she was treated as the chosen child. She attended the Rome Public Schools and was a 1956 graduate of Bessie Tift College in Forsyth, GA. She earned a M.Ed from Georgia State University. JoAnne majored in Chemistry at Bessie Tift and following graduation, moved to Third St. in Atlanta to work in the lab of the Ga. Department of Public Health. There, she met and married her first husband, Jess Newland Rickman, Jr. of Clayton, GA. In 1958 they settled in DeKalb County, joined Clairmont Hills Baptist Church, and started a family. They were married 38 years until his death in 1996. JoAnne taught kindergarten at CHBC and in the DeKalb County School System at Forrest Hills Elementary for 35 years. She was a much beloved teacher at Forrest Hills; a classroom wing was named in her honor. Countless students would say, “Your mother was my favorite teacher.” She worked at JC Penney Northlake in customer service for many years. Everyone who ever worked with her loved and adored her. In 1998, JoAnne married John V. King of Chamblee, GA. John had been in her one-year old Sunday School class at North Broad Baptist Church in Rome many years before. They enjoyed a marriage of 18 years until his death in 2016. Her parents and siblings preceded her in death: brothers Harry Floyd, Charles Port, Thomas Port, Roy Port and her sister Virginia Port Simonton. She is survived by her 2 children and their spouses: Mike Rickman (Joell) and Karen Rickman Ryals (Clay). She adored her 7 grandchildren: Lee Rickman (Meaghan), Davis Rickman, Chandler Rickman, Grace Rickman, Herman Ryals (Emily), Rickman Ryals all of Atlanta and Lovic Ryals of Aberdeen, Scotland. Her family would like to thank the staff at Safe Haven at Lenox Park for their wonderful, compassionate care over the last three years.
A celebration of JoAnne’s life will take place at Bridgepoint Church at Toco Hills (formerly CHBC) on Sunday, January 26 at 3 PM. 1995 Clairmont Rd. Decatur, GA 30033. Visitation will be at AS Turner Saturday 5 to 6 PM and at 2 PM on Sunday at the church. Private burial to follow. Memorials can be made to Bridgepoint Church at Toco Hills, her church of 62 years. A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home.