Thomas J. King, of Tarboro, NC, died on September 18, 2012, at Vidant Tarboro Hospital following a sudden illness. He was 86 years of age. A resident of The Albemarle in Tarboro a mere 6 weeks, Mr. King and his family previously made their homes in Washington, NC and Bethesda, MD for many years.
A memorial service will be held later. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Eagle’s Wings, 932 W. Third St., Washington, NC 27889.
Mr. King was a native of Spokane, WA. As a boy he lived with his family in a number of locations across the United States as well as in Latin America; however, a substantial portion of his youth was spent in Southern California so Mr. King always regarded Pasadena as his home town. Mr. King was a 1950 graduate of Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA and he subsequently studied at the Maxwell Graduate School of Public Affairs of Syracuse University. Mr. King was a career civil servant. He served with a number of Federal agencies including the old Atomic Energy Commission, the Department of Defense and the US Public Health Service. At the time of his retirement Mr. King was with the Environmental Protection Agency where he had been among the original staff members when that organization was established in 1970.
Mr. King was a US Army veteran of World War II. He was a combat infantryman in Europe and subsequently saw service in the Pacific theatre.
Mr. King served for several years as a Guardian ad Litem, a program administered by the Courts for the protection of neglected and abused children.
Mr. King was an avid swimmer and he had set a goal of swimming 2000 miles under the Red Cross fitness swimming program by his 75th birthday. He reached his objective by age 73 and continued fitness swimming for several years thereafter.
Mr. King is survived by his wife, Nancy of the home; Edward of Omaha, NE and Douglas of Jacksonville, FL; a sister, Elizabeth Rempel of Santa Rosa, CA; and several nieces and nephews and beloved mini Dachshund, Madison. Two brothers, James of Berkeley, CA and William of Richmond, VA preceded him in death.
Mr. King was a member of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Washington, NC, the 86th “Blackhawk” Infantry Division Association and Sigma Chi Fraternity, Gamma Epsilon.
Arrangements are by Carlisle Funeral Home, Tarboro.
Online condolences may be directed to the family by visiting www.carlislefuneralhome.com.