Cyrus Baldwin King

Cyrus Baldwin King

Raleigh

Cyrus Baldwin King, 91, died peacefully with his two sons by his side on Wednesday, June 25 at the Oaks of Whitaker Glen in Raleigh. He was born October 31, 1922 in Columbia, South Carolina to Edward S. King and Eunice Baldwin King. He grew up in Raleigh, where he attended Fred A. Olds Elementary and Broughton High School.

After graduating from Broughton in 1940, he entered the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1947. His education was interrupted by World War II and he served in the army from 1943–1946. His service took him across Europe, where as a rifleman in the 26th Infantry Division he fought in the Battle of the Bulge as part of General Patton's Third Army.

In 1947 he entered the University of Kentucky for graduate study and to be near his future wife, Carolyn Spicer, who was YWCA Secretary at the university. He married Carolyn in 1948 and earned a Master's in History in 1949.

They returned to Raleigh and he worked in the NCSU Campus Bookstore for 11 years. In 1960, he became Assistant State Archivist with the State Department of Archives and History. In 1963 he returned to the N.C. State campus as Acquisitions Librarian in the D.H. Hill Library and was later promoted to Assistant Librarian for Collection Development and Management. He served in the Faculty Senate, was Affirmative Action Officer for the Library and was Chairperson of the University Good Neighbor Council appointed by the Chancellor to work for the harmonious integration of minority students and faculty into the University Community. He retired from the library in 1984. In his honor an endowment was established at the D. H. Hill Library, "The Cyrus King Endowment for Peace Studies."

Both Cyrus and Carolyn were active in the civil rights movement and the peace movement. They were members of the Wake County Chapter of the United Nations Association, the Wake County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and Peace Action. As "liberal" Democrats and active members of Community United Church of Christ, they worked for racial equality, advocated for non-violence, human rights and economic justice.

In recognition for their contributions, they were presented the 1991 W.W. Finlator Civil Liberties Union Award by the Wake County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. They were also recognized in 2008 with the W.W. Finlator Meritorious Service Award presented by the Martin Luther King Celebration Committee. Cyrus was especially pleased to receive these two awards named for his friend and mentor, the Rev. W.W. Finlator. Cyrus and Carolyn were recognized in 2009 by the North Carolina Council of Churches for Distinguished Service in the Mission of Ecumenism, Justice and Peace. They were inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame in 2009.

Cyrus also received the "Independent" newspaper Citizen's Award in 1995 and the First Annual Peacemaker Award from North Carolina Peace Action in 2002. He was recognized by the North Carolina Governor's Office with The Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2014.

Cyrus was a lifelong tennis player who played on the tennis teams at Broughton and at UNC. He was a charter member of the Raleigh Racquet Club and with his son, Cy Jr., won the North Carolina State Father Son Doubles championship in 1976, which he considered to be the highlight of his tennis career. He played tennis well into his eighties. He was also an avid golfer up until the fall of 2013.

Cyrus was predeceased by Carolyn S. King, his wife of 64 years. He is survived by his two sons, Cyrus B. King Jr., of Raleigh, Edward G. King and his wife, Elizabeth Scott King, of Youngsville, granddaughter Roslyn Ragsdale of Louisville, Kentucky, nephew Wentworth Durgin of Raleigh, and devoted niece Katherine Durgin and her partner Elaine McKinley of Redwood City, California. The family will receive friends on Monday June 30th in the Fellowship Hall at Community United Church of Christ, 814 Dixie Trail from 5:00 to 7:00. A memorial service will be held at Community United Church of Christ on Tuesday, July 1 at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to "The Cyrus King Endowment for Peace Studies" NCSU Libraries, NCSU, Box 7111, Raleigh, NC 27695-7111, or to Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607.

Arrangements by Cremation Society of the Carolinas.

"I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy."

Thomas Paine

"The Age of Reason"