King, at 97, still quick with a quip — or sermon

By Linda CarmanPrint Story | Email Story
Ronald Tunnicliffe of the Berkshire Highlanders pipes ‘Amazing Grace, while the Rev. William R. Wilson Jr. beams, supporting the Rev. Isabel King Sunday during a tribute to her in Stamford, Vt. (Photo by Linda Carman)
STAMFORD, Vt. – A crown of glory may beckon in the future, but for now, the Rev. Isabel King can content herself with plaudits and praise. King, who came to this country as a missionary from her native Glasgow, Scotland, at age 17, was honored Sunday at age 97 at the Stamford Community Church with an outpouring of affection and gratitude from pastors and members of the five area churches she served as pastor during her 80 years of ministry. And she was hailed as a pioneer for women ministers. In a salute to her heritage, Ronald Tunnicliffe of the Berkshire Highlanders piped King into the church to the old hymn “Amazing Grace,” with a packed house joining in with the words. King also sang with the choir, in a strong, firm voice, “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder I’ll be There.” During the service, a succession of speakers raised a Hallelujah chorus in praise of her faith, her quick wit and sense of humor and her perseverance. The Rev. Susan Stewart, pastor of First United Methodist Church in North Adams, called King “a pioneer for women in ordained ministry and lay preaching.” “She pioneered the way for women like me,” Stewart said. “Thank you from all of us.” King proved herself still ready with a brisk quip, delivered in her pronounced Scots burr. She called the event, which filled the church with well-wishers, “The greatest surprise that I ever had in all my days. I didn’t think anybody cared. I always thought that what I did was done. “Perhaps when the Lord calls me home, if he pins a medal on me, I’ll say, ‘Watch, don’t stick me with that pin,’” she said. She had initially planned to be a missionary in Africa, but her father opposed that, she said. “Dad wouldn’t hear of it. He was a British marine who had fought in the Boer war. He told me, ‘You leave those people alone and let them believe what they want to believe,’” she said. She recalled that when she arrived in this country, “I didn’t have a penny in my pocket, but the Lord supplied my every need.’” Again in a firm voice, she thanked all her parishioners, calling it “a wonderful privilege” to minister to them. “I was never so taken aback as when I heard the bagpipes,” she said. “I didn’t know if I could hold the tears back, so I just let them go.” The Rev. William R. Wilson Jr., pastor of Stamford Community Church, was master of ceremonies and pushed King’s wheelchair into and out of the church. Wilson said King’s life was a success measured “by God’s definition – to know the will of God in your life and to do it. “She said a lot of things from the pulpit that I wish I had the guts to say,” he added. Roy Burdick of Florida Baptist Church called King “one of my role models.” “She told me, ‘Well, Roy, I really don’t have an accent, and if you hang around with me, I’ll have you speaking normally in no time,’” he recalled. He also noted that during one service a few years back, “she was preaching a sermon and having a heart attack.” He said King postponed getting medical attention on the grounds that “I had more to say.” One woman praised King’s preaching, saying, “She paints a picture with her words.” Pam Beverly of Blackinton Union Church noted that King took the pulpit there as recently as three weeks ago. “Thank you for your years of service, guidance and kindness,” Beverly said. The Rev. Willard “Bill” Busl, noting that “Isabel and I covered the same circuit over the past 40 years,” presented King with a certificate of appreciation from all the churches and people King had served. He presented a gift of money, calling it “more tangible” and adding that the hope was to enable King to travel. All presentations prompted standing ovations and prolonged applause. King, who now lives in St. Joseph’s Court, North Adams, served as pastor at Stamford Community Church, Blackinton Union, Readsboro Baptist Church, the Community Church of Whitingham, and Pownal Center Church. She has also preached at many area churches, including First Baptist in North Adams. After the service, the more than 120 well-wishers followed King, piped by Tunnicliffe and her wheelchair pushed by Wilson, out and around the church and into the basement for a reception. Wilson called the recognition “long overdue.” “We thought it was high time she be recognized for her 80 years of ministry,” he said. “She’s very special.”
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Construction is underway to transform the former Harry's Supermarket into a restaurant. 

Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building. 

"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu. 

A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building. 

White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.  

He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns. 

Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot. 

A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use. 

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