Joseph King

Joseph David (J.D.) King September 21, 1918 July 26, 2011

It is with great sadness and respect that our family conveys the passing of a wonderful son, brother, husband and father, Joseph David King (known as J.D.), a former resident of Estes Park, CO but moved to Bountiful, UT in the Spring of 2004 to be closer to his daughter.

J.D. was born in Jones County, Laurel, Mississippi on September 21, 1918 to Charles Cleveland King and Mary Melinda (Holifield) King.

J.D. grew up in Mississippi and after graduating from high school attended Tulane University.

J.D. then joined the Army during WWII and was chief executive officer for the 2nd Cavalry Group in WWII serving under Colonel Charles Hancock Reed and General George Patton and was assigned to a group in Klatovy, Czechoslovakia, where around 50 Lipizzaner horses were being held in the outlying countryside, unbeknownst to military forces. He was instrumental in rounding up the horses within 10 days after the war ended and placed them in railroad cards for shipment back to Vienna. The recovery of the Lipizzaner horses is one of the highlights of J.D.s wartime memories. He also served with General George Patton in the Battle of the Bulge and earned the nickname of SON.

After the war, he returned home and met his wife, Ada Jane Rhoden and on November 29, 1946, they were married in Gretna, Louisiana and lived happily together for 61 years. They lived in Texas for many years of their life together and then moved to Estes Park, Colorado in the late 1980s. They traveled, found joy in meeting and entertaining wonderful friends and loved being in the social rounds of their church.

After moving to North Salt Lake, UT in 2004, both J.D. and his wife, Janie, were able to spend time with their grandson, daughter and son-in-law. It was very special times for J.D. to be part of watching his grandson grow into a fine young man.

In September of 2009, J.D. suffered a stroke and moved into the North Canyon Care Center in Bountiful, UT, where he lived out the remainder of his life and was loved by many who met him. He was part of their family.

J.D. is survived by his daughter, Diane DeLuca, and his grandson, Nicholas James DeLuca of Bountiful, UT. He was preceded in death by his son, David King and wife, Ada Jane King and his brother, Charles L. King.

A celebration/memorial of his life will be held at 11:00 am, Monday, August 8, 2011 at the First Southern Baptist Church, 696 North 400 East, Bountiful, UT. Interment will be at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bluffdale, UT at 2:00 pm following the memorial service. Online guest book at www.russonmortuary.com.