Memories forever: Sharon King, StoryCorps

When you lose someone you love, as many of us did last week with the passing of our friend Sharon King, it’s hard not to think of the African adage: “When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground.”

Now, Sharon would smack me upside the head for suggesting she was an old man, and I’m not. Replace “old man” with “a beloved friend,” “a small-town mayor,” “a favorite aunt” — whatever description fits best — and the adage still rings true.

It’s the loss of the wealth of information she had about this community and so many of us that I’m talking about.

Besides being a third-generation High Plains resident, she was raised by two of the most gregarious parents on the planet, Bo and Frankye King. From the time she was a tot, Sharon was in the thick of the action in Portales. She grew up in the family restaurants, then held jobs at Roosevelt General Hospital, Eastern New Mexico University, the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce, and finally as mayor of Portales.

If she wasn’t a whole library, she was a darned good reference section, and one I used regularly. When she didn’t have an answer, she knew who did. If you didn’t end up laughing along the way, well, you must have talked to somebody else by accident.

So when StoryCorps, the nonprofit project dedicated to preserving stories of ordinary Americans from all walks of life, announced plans to bring its recording trailer to eastern New Mexico, Sharon King was one of the first people I thought about.

Unfortunately, this came too late for her. But if you are reading this, it is not too late for you to consider participating in this rare opportunity.

StoryCorps’ customized Airstream recording studio will be arriving in Portales one week from today and will remain parked on the lawn in front of the Administration Building at Eastern New Mexico University through April 13.

The organizers have arranged for 150 hour-long appointments during that time, and are encouraging locals to sign up and participate in this nation-wide effort to collect every day stories from people of all ages and backgrounds.

The goal of StoryCorps is to professionally record and preserve 40-minute long uninterrupted conservations between two individuals about any topics they choose. The results, with permission from participants, are archived in the Library of Congress, and (again, if participants agree) might appear on future episodes of StoryCorps on National Public Radio.

According to StoryCorps’ website, “Our mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.”

To schedule an interview or simply learn more about the process, visit the website (storycorps.org/stops/mobile-stop-portales-nm/) or call 1-800-850-4406 anytime.

Sharon King’s stories will have to live on through our memories, but your story … or the story of someone you know and love … could be captured and preserved.

Betty Williamson has loved StoryCorps for years and Sharon King for a lifetime. Reach her at: [email protected]