Ellard King

1918 - 2024

King, Ellard "Eli"

Passed away peacefully at his home on Friday June 24, 2011. Born in Climax, Kentucky on January 16, 1918. He moved to Hamilton with his family. He graduated from Hanover School. He was most proud of his service during WWII. He was inducted in December, 1941 in Ft. Thomas, KY. He spent time in the US at Ft. Knox, KY, Ft. Jackson, SC and Camp Gordon, GA. He boarded the RMS Andes on August 4, 1942 and traveled to Hallifax, Nova Scotia and then on to Liverpool, England. He left Liverpool on January 6, 1943 and arrived in Tubessa, Tunisia on February 17th 1943. He served with a Tank Unit in the Tunisia Campaign from February 1943 though January 1944. He then moved to Italy as Tank Commander from January 1944 to May 30, 1944 when he was wounded in battle action near Velletri, Italy and lost his leg. He received the Purple Heart and American Defense Service Medal. He also received the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Medal and Three Bronze Stars. He discharged from the Army as a Sergeant in December 1944. He returned to Hamilton after spending time at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington DC. He then helped his brothers at King Sales and Service for many years. "Buddy" spent much time with his nieces and nephews providing lots of fun times and lots of "Frosty's" from Highland Dairy in Hamilton. He cared for his Mother and Father until their death. He was a generous man who was always there to provide help to many family members and friends, whether driving horses cross country for his brother Charles to babysitting his nieces and nephews and helping financially where he could. He was preceded in death by his Mother, Ethel (Gatliff) and his Father Charles King Sr. His brothers Marion "Buck" King, and Charles King, Jr., his sister Dellene Cox. He is survived by his sister Ida Little and his sister Freda Joretta Garnett, who cared for him over the last 20 years of his life. He is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews and many others who thought of him as Buddy, a good friend, and "Grandpa". It is wished by his family that all who knew him celebrate his life in the way that they remember him. He will be interred on June 10, 2024 at 11:00 AM at the Dayton National Cemetery with full military honors.