William E. King, 90, a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, formerly of 1124 East Main St., passed away Monday, August 7, 2017, at Bradford Regional Medical Center.
Born April 26, 1927 in Burbank, OK, he was the son of the late Glen King and Ethel Louise (Engle) King. He had been a resident of Bradford since 1928 and recently resided at the Bradford Ecumenical Home.
On October 8, 1949, at the First United Methodist Church in Kane, he married Margaret Elinor (Covel) King, who survives.
He graduated in absentia with the Bradford Area High School class of 1945. He was a World War II veteran, serving in the Pacific Theater of Operations with the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Telamon, ARB-8. His last duty was in Operation Crossroads, the detonation of the atomic bomb at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific in July 1946.
He began his education, majoring in chemistry, at St. Bonaventure University. He completed his degree as one of the first two students to receive a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. He was employed at the Kendall Refining Company and Witco for 43 years.
He was a member of the former East End Presbyterian Church; a 60 year member of Bradford Union Lodge 749 F&AM, Bradford Royal Arch Chapter No. 260, Bradford Council No. 43, Royal and Select Mason's, Commandery No. 58 Knights Templar; Tuna Valley York Rite College No. 76; Coudersport Consistory; Kendall Quarter Century Club; and Bradford Gun Club.
He enjoyed hunting and loved to brag about his 57 sets of deer antlers on display in his garage. He was an outstanding skeet shooter, having earned several awards and trophies throughout the years. An avid fisherman, he would say he felt closest to God while outdoors.
Surviving, in addition to his wife Margaret of 67 years, are daughter Karolyn Graves of Bradford and Kristine King of Pittsburgh; three grandchildren, Danielle (Eric) Mallaber of Pittsburgh, Andrew (Tina) Graves of Bloomington, IN, and Jennifer Graves of Pittsburgh, as well as three great-grandchildren, Mackenzie Margaret Mallaber, William Andrew Graves and Kendall Grace Graves.
The family will be receiving friends on Thursday August 10, 2017, from 4:00pm to 7:00pm in Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Home at 372 East Main where funeral services will be held on Friday at 11:00am with the Rev. Max Simms pastor of Hilltop Baptist Church, officiating. Committal services and Full Military Honors will be accorded in McKean Memorial Park Cemetery.
Members of Bradford Masonic Lodge will conduct a masonic service at 7:00pm Thursday in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Bradford Gun Club or Shrine Hospital.
On line condolences may be made at www.hollenbeckcahill.com