Kenneth E. King

Kenneth E. King, 89, of Fort Worth, was promoted to the Father's House Saturday, May 23, 2015. He will be laid to rest at Heavener Memorial Park Cemetery in Heavener, OK following a celebration of life at 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 26 at Dowden-Roberts Funeral Home, Heavener, OK. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 29, at Gambrell St. Baptist Church in Fort Worth. Kenneth was born May 16, 1926 to James A. and Pearl Forsyth King in Hannibal, MO. He was a graduate of Madison, MO High School, Kirksville State Teachers College (now Truman State University), and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Fort Worth). He served in the U.S. Navy for 25 months in World War Two - 16 months as a radioman aboard ships in the southwest Pacific. After college graduation Kenneth worked in a responsible position for Frank Baldwin's Office Supply in Kirksville, MO. Following his seminary education, Kenneth served as a Minister of the Gospel for 40 years. He ministered to countless people over the years as he pastored churches in Nida, OK, Trinity, Lufkin, Green Bay, WI, Scotch Plains, N.J., and Portsmouth, VA. After retirement, Kenneth ministered for 12 years as a hospice chaplain for Hospice in the Pines in Lufkin. Following "retirement 2," he continued to minister in his local churches as a supply preacher or as an interim pastor. He later served as a senior host for Chick-fil-a Restaurants in Lufkin and Fort Worth. Kenneth's legacy of love and ministry will live on in the lives of his family, his friends, and all those who were fortunate enough to meet him. Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Betty Elsbury King, and his four brothers - Boyd, Leonard, Ralph and Gerald King. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Virginia Highfill King; daughter, Brenda King Barnes; son-in-law, Ken Barnes; granddaughters Jennifer Roberts (Tony) and Cynthia Daniels (Jason); great-grandchildren, Esther, William, Noah, Luke, Emily, and Z; one great-great-granddaughter, Ashlynn Kay; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. The family wishes to express special thanks to Kenneth's medical care givers: niece Helen Emert and caregivers at Community Hospice of Texas, Renaissance Park Care Center, VA Hospital, Dallas, and Harris SW Hospital in Ft. Worth. In lieu of flowers, contribution may be made to the ministries of Gambrell St. Baptist Church (1616 W. Gambrell, Fort Worth, TX, 76115), Hospice in the Pines (1504 W. Frank Ave., Lufkin, TX, 75904), Community Hospice of Texas (6100 Western Place Suite 105, Ft. Worth, TX 76107), Fisher House Foundation (https://www.pay.gov/paygov/forms/formInstance.html?agencyFormId=52251716), or King Charitable Foundation (c/o Jack Schrader, 23759 State Hwy HH, La Plata, MO). To sign Mr. King's online guestbook please visit www.dowdenrobertsfuneralhome.com. Dowden-Roberts Funeral Home, Heavener, Oklahoma, directors.