Mr. Mark E. King Sr.

KING, Mark Edward, 75, of Tampa passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, Sunday, September 16, 2012. He was born in Portsmouth , Ohio on January 23, 1937. Mark was raised in Palm Beach and Tampa where he attended Roosevelt Elementary School, Wilson Junior High School, and graduated from Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana. He attended Emory University where he was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity. He served and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps then went on to graduate from Michigan State University. Mark was preceded in death by his parents Lorena and James Russell King. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 54 years Carole Tarnow King; his sons, Mark Edward King Jr. and Rusty King (Cyndi); daughters Melinda Cashin (Greg) and Shannon King; his grandchildren, whom he cherished greatly, Peyton and J.R. King, Steven, Alexandra, and Mark Cashin; sisters, Nancy King Read (Alan) and Martha Jean Ball (Jim) of New Orleans, LA; many nieces and nephews. Mark was founder and owner of Mark E. King and Co. He was very active in the frozen food business serving as Treasurer and later Chairman of the National Frozen Food Association, President of the Central Florida Frozen Food Association and the Tampa Food Brokers Association. He was a member of the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats and was awarded the National Food Association's prestigious "Penguin" along with several other industry awards. He was an active member of St. Andrews Episcopal Church where he was a lay reader. He was a member of the Hillsborough Lodge No. 25, 32nd degree Mason, Tampa Scottish Rite, Egypt Shrine Temple, and was a past Director of the Royal Order of Jesters Tampa Court 89. He was a former member of the University Club, Tampa Yacht & Country Club, Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club, and Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. He was a 50 year member of the Merrymakers Club. His life will be celebrated by family and friends at 1 p.m. Friday, September 21st, at St. Andrews Episcopal Church. The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service. A private interment will take place at a later date. The family would like to express their thanks and gratitude for the compassionate care given to Mark by the Tampa General Hospital ICU staff and LifePath Hospice. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Mark's honor to St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Foundation or LifePath Hospice of Tampa, 3010 W. Azeele St., Tampa, Fl 33609.