Jennie Sturkey

October 8, 1928 — April 3, 2024

BORN INTO LIFE: Jennie Pugh Sturkey King was born October 8, 1928, in Midway, Alabama, to her parents, Howard and Julia Ann Pugh. She passed from this life, April 3, 2024. Though from a small town, during her fifteen years there, she participated in multiple activities of her community such as schooling, supporting her local sports teams, presenting at various school and community programs, traveling to other locales, besides helping her mother manage the land and animals on their farm.

Jennie graduated from McKinley High School in Chicago, after she and her little brother Chance, joined their mother here, when they had given up the farm. She was active here, as well, in all facets of city life, as she and family lived through the last years of World War II, and developed a full and enriched life, up south, as in Alabama. Recognized as caring, generous people, she and her mother were hosts and helpers to many friends and family members from many places around the country.

After marrying Fred Sturkey, they became parents to five children: Jerome K., Corliss M., Fredrick H., Tremont P., and Julie F. As a teen, and adult, Jennie worked in housekeeping, office work, and nursing homes. Much later in life, she became an esteemed Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at West Suburban Medical Center.

Jennie became one of Jehovah's Witnesses in the late 1950's, and was a devout member to her last days, ninety-five and a half years old. She and her children attended many conventions in many cities around the country. She provided her children and her younger siblings, sister, Yvonne, and brother, Huston, with numerous experiences of the city such as sports games, skating, museums and activity parks, much traveling, and once even a TV appearance on the "Uncle Bucky Show" in 1956!

Having such a long lifetime, Jennie is preceded in death by: Her mother and father; her husbands, Fred, fand as widow of John (Mike) King; her brothers, Chance and Huston; her Aunts, Rocee and Annie Bell; her daughter Corliss; and her two sons, Jerome and Fredrick; and grandson, Brandon Shance Sturkey.

She leaves to cherish her memory: Her devoted son, Tremont; her youngest daughter, Julie (and son Seth Evans); her sister, Yvonne/Bonnie; her grandchildren, Andre Rice, Lavorgis Sturkey, Ian Sturkey, Zarien Sturkey (and his mother, Sandra Bingham), Donnell Bush, Latonya Thomas, Antoine Brown, Shawn, Jerome, and Roosevelt; a host of great grandchildren; a small number of distant loving relatives, and a tremendous host of friends and loved ones of all generations, already missing her, and anticipating her at the Resurrection. A special thanks to Renee Walker, James Maxwell, Walter Mack, Ricky Rice, and Charles Mitche

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jennie Sturkey, please visit our flower store.

Send a Card

Service Schedule

Past Services

Memorial Service

Saturday, April 20, 2024

1:00 - 3:00 pm (Central time)

Smith & Thomas Funeral Home

5708 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60644

Get Directions Plant Trees

Jennie Sturkey

October 8, 1928 — April 3, 2024

Service Schedule

Past Services

Memorial Service

Guestbook