Karthik Elijah King

Karthik Elijah King was born in Bangalore, Karnataka, India on May 16, 2006. On October 27, 2025, he died in his home in Hillsboro, Oregon, aged 19.

The son of David and Melissa Mimier King, Karthik spent the first 18 months of his life in the care of Vathsalya Charitable Trust before being adopted and coming home to Coos Bay, Oregon in November 2007. He was baptized at Coos Bay United Methodist Church and attended preschool at Faith Lutheran in North Bend. He spent a year as little brother to exchange student Vikram Arm Tuayabat.

Moving to Denver, Colorado in 2010, Karthik attended Christ Lutheran Early Learning and Fletcher Primary School in Aurora, Colorado. He sang and played chimes at Denver Trinity United Methodist Church and attended James Memorial United Methodist Church in Hudson, Colorado.

Karthik moved to Hood River, Oregon in 2014, aged 10. He attended May Street Elementary, where he competed in the First Lego League, played basketball, and participated in Cub Scouts. In his time at Hood River Middle School, he and his classmates experienced one year disrupted by the Eagle Creek Fire, one year disrupted by ice storms, and one year disrupted by the COVID pandemic. Karthik attended and was confirmed at Spirit of Grace Church, ELCA-UMC. He welcomed home his sisters, Kaylah and Kiahla, in 2016.

The family moved to Forest Grove, Oregon at the height of the pandemic in June 2020. He attended Forest Grove High School, where he was president of the DECA Club and threw javelin and discus for track and field. He was host sibling to exchange students Sippakorn Beam Aramthip and Emma Zhuo. He graduated with the class of 2024.

Following high school, Karthik studied Business and Psychology at Portland Community College. He moved with the family to Hillsboro in 2024.

Karthik had a strong connection to United Methodist Camping and Retreat Ministries. Attending camp several times at Camp Magruder and Suttle Lake, Karthik worked on camp staff his last three summers, first as a resident counsellor at Magruder, Suttle Lake, and Latgawa, and then on the kitchen staff at Suttle Lake.

He also served as a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol at Gorge Composite Squadron in Hood River and Washington County Composite Squadron in Hillsboro. He earned the Wright Brothers Award and the grade of C/SSgt.

Karthik was wonderful. He was incredibly funny, and even as a toddler he would giggle at the tiniest delight. Quick witted, he loved to tease and joke. His ability to give the perfect gift was legendary. He was excellent with younger children and was looked up to by his cousins and campers. He could talk with anyone and would always strike up conversations at church or school, usually about Star Wars, Marvel, or SNL. For every gift, he asked for elaborate Star Wars Legos, and he loved building and displaying the finished models. He loved playing videogames alone or with friends and enjoyed posting his latest Lego creations and video game play on social media. Karthik was kind. He would participate in an activity just because it was important to someone else. He was a an incredibly loyal and considerate friend, and he loved helping friends.

He is preceded in death by his grandfather, Horace "Charlie" King, and baby sister, Naomi Grace King.

He is survived by his loving parents, Melissa and David; two sisters, Kaylah and Kiahla; grandparents, Mardean King, Dennis Mimier, and Kay Mimier; aunt, Molly Mimier; uncle, Rodolfo Tello; and cousin, Alexander Mimier; along with other cousins.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Karthik's name to Camp and Retreat Ministries click here