Posted by Kevin Carter on March 26, 2007:

KENNETH LLOYD KING December 20, 1934 ? March 20, 2007 Ken died peacefully on March 20, 2007, surrounded by the love and prayers of his family and friends. He was born on December 20, 1934, just outside Pilot Point, Texas. Shortly after, he and his family moved to Gainesville, where Ken grew up and went to school. A lover of sports, he played both basketball and football at Gainesville High School, where he graduated in 1953. He enlisted in the army, and earned a competitive appointment to the United States Military Academy and at West Point, New York. He graduated in 1960 as an officer in the field artillery reaching the grade of Captain. In 1965, Ken went to the University of Virginia School of Law. He started his law practice as a member of the law firm Donavan and Lesure on Wall Street. Following a career path, he came to Texas as a member of Coke and Coke Law Firm. He later became a senior partner of Sullivan and Jones Law Firm in San Diego. Ken?s heart has always been in Texas, especially Cooke County, so he returned in the late 1990s and has remained with his family and friends ever since. He will always be remembered for his compassion for the powerless, for which he gave of his time and talents to help and support, an outgrowth of this long involvement with the Chrisian Cursillo movement. In his later years, his energy was invested in spiritual growth and service, which he cultivated in Bible study groups, as a lector and Parish council member at St. Mary?s Catholic Church. Weekly, he went to the T.Y.C., where he taught the juvenile inmates about the Christian faith. Ken contributed his time to Rotary, North Texas Central College Board of Regents and other contributions to his community that was never public knowledge. Ken is preceded in death by his father, Travis King; his step-father Louis Roberg; and his son, Kenneth Jr. Survivors include his mother, Ola Roberg; his wife, Kaye Briscoe King of Gainesville; his daughter, Kim King Bradley and son-in-law, Allen of Gainesville; his son, Bradley Walker Hall and his daughter-in-law, LaFerne Hall; his daughter, Kelly Glasgow and his son-in-law, William of Austin, Texas; his daughter, Kendall Pierce and his son-in-law, John of Rockwall, Texas. Ken is blessed with ten grandchildren, one great-grandchild and a multitude of cousins. At 7 p.m. Friday, there will be an informal wake service at St. Mary?s Church. At 8 p.m., or following the Wake Service, there will be a ?Celebration of Life Reception? at St. Mary?s Parish Hall where eveyone is welcome who knew and loved Ken. It will be a time to celebrate Ken?s life and share stories and memories. The following day, March 25, 2007, there will be a funeral mass at St. Mary?s Catholic Church at 11 a.m., followed by interment at Fairview Cemetery under the direction of the Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home of Gainesville. The Mass will be celebrated by Rev. Pat Murphy, O.S.A. Pallbearers are Ronnie Herr, Tommy Herr, Brad Hall, Glenn Loch, Ed Thomas, Phil Adams, Frank Morris, and Ben Hatcher. Honorary pallbearers are Charles Draper, the Rev. Canon Ted Nelson, Judge John Morris, Eddie Hadlock, Mike King, Terry Herrmann, Bruce Claycomb, and Bruce Turner. Memorial contributions may be made to the North Central Texas Foundation; 1525 West California Street; Gainesville or Cooke County Friends of the Family; 114 N. Dixon St.; Gainesville or Home Hospice of Cooke County; P.O. Box 936; Gainesville.

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