James Elliott King, Jr.

James (Jim) Elliott King, Jr. was a gentle man who quietly observed the world and people around him. Trustworthy in all aspects of his life he held the respect of family, friends and co-workers alike.

Jim was born February 5, 1946 in St. Louis, Missouri to James Elliott, Sr. and Margaret Mary Conlin King. The Kings later moved to Memphis, Tennessee where Jim lived during his formative years. It was the intent of Jim's parents that Jim and his brother, John, would be raised in a Godly home worthy to be called Men of God. Traditional values were taught in the home. Discipline, dependability, self-confidence, responsibility, love of men and God, and charity to all were embedded deeply in Jim's character.

It seems that Jim grew up in one of the real 1950s "Leave It To Beaver" homes. Mother Margaret was always at home watching over her two sons that she adored. Father James Sr. dearly loved his wife and two sons. Their family was one to be admired. Jim always spoke of his early childhood and adolescent years as being a time of great happiness in his family home. Not that he did not receive his fair share of discipline, for indeed he was a normal active boy, but he did respect, admire, appreciate, gather great inner strength from and love his parents. James Sr. and Margaret were wonderful role models for Jim and he did follow in their footsteps for the rest of his life.

The King home was the gathering place for the neighborhood children. Many games were played in the backyard. Jim never had any interest in being the center of attention. He just enjoyed being part of the rough and tumble of being a little boy playing with others. He did like to build model airplanes and collect baseball cards. Playing baseball and football was fun for him. He loved being in the Cub Scouts and later the Boy Scouts. He did achieve Eagle Scout status and Order of the Arrow.

Jim graduated from Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tennessee in 1964. Although he made the Dean's List for Academics, he still enjoyed being a teenager with all the fun that goes with it. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Memphis State University.

Jim was highly intelligent. He had a wonderful memory and seemed to know about any subject a person would mention. Jim loved to tackle difficult problems. He was a logical in his approach and easily mastered problems. He was a critical thinker and intellectually independent.

Always considered to be a solid friend, Jim was fortunate to have numerous acquaintances and several very close friends during his life. Since he disliked making generalizations about people and preferred to draw his own conclusions based on direct observation, Jim was able to see beneath the surface of relationships and became a true friend to those who knew him. He was committed to his friends and valued the trust he placed in them. It was not uncommon for Jim to go beyond the call of duty for others, and friends frequently sought him out for advice because he had a knack for coming up with practical solutions to any type of dilemma. While growing up, his best friend was E.J. Lanigan. Later in life, he became close friends with Earl and Rhonda Everett, Anthony and Leona Yarbrough, and Dave and Cathy Hinds.

Jim served in the Navy during Vietnam. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of second class Petty Officer. He received praise for his valor and was awarded a Navy Unit Citation and Vietnam Service Ribbon. His results-oriented approach to things made him committed to the job, and he understood well his role in serving his country.

Jim considered his greatest contribution to the world as being his sons, Kevin Michael and Jeffrey Scott King. He loved them with all his heart. He was so proud to be the grandfather of Jeffrey's children, Conlin and Hayley.

Jim found pleasure in sports. Being a person who was comfortable making win/lose decisions throughout life, he could appreciate that athletes made those types of decisions in sports. He applauded those who won, and he enjoyed the statistical data and sports facts and could find himself wrapped up in those details. His recreational sports included softball. He would watch his favorite sporting events whenever he got the opportunity, but at the top of his list was watching football.

Many organizations were grateful to have Jim as a member, since he always brought with him a “stick to it” attitude and a high degree of common sense. Using straightforward methods to successfully complete the job, Jim was a great planner who was incredibly well organized. It seemed that he was able to schedule any event or activity with ease. He always seemed to know exactly what needed to be done. In high school, Jim was a member of the high school newspaper and Spanish Club.

Jim was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a lifetime member of the Roman Catholic Church. He was a man who valued his beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them.

Jim enjoyed traveling and taking vacations. Since he was an early starter and had a knack for planning everything, traveling with Jim appeared effortless. He enjoyed researching all of his examined options and applying cost-effective planning techniques. In addition, no matter where he traveled, Jim always had a backup plan at the ready, just in case. His favorite vacations included a trip to Glacier National Park with his sons and father, James Sr., "Just the Boys."

Jim was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. Some of Jim’s favorites were his cats, Natasha, Boris, Crusty, Peanut Butter and Katrinka. They were best friends for many years.

Jim also enjoyed bird watching, photography, coin collecting, raising flowers, and restoring old cars.

On September 2, 1983 James married Rosemary Lee Dennison at Schaeffer Chapel in Memphis, Tennessee. Rosemary always referred to Jim as "My Wonderful Husband." Everyone knew that she meant it with all her heart. Rosemary believed that she got "the top prize" when she married Jim. Rosemary describes Jim with the following scripture verse from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

James Elliott King Jr. entered into God's glory on February 19, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada, after fighting a brave battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary; brother, John; sons, Kevin and Jeffrey and grandchildren, Conlin and Hayley. Services were held at St. Anthony's of Padua Catholic Church.

"To God be the glory."