Rev. Eric R. King 1914 - 2014

Pastor  of FUMCSL 1971 - 1979

Rev. Eric King
September 16, 2014

KING, REV. ERIC R. - Reverend Eric R. King, age 100, passed away on September 16, 2014. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 20, 2014 at Trinity United Methodist Church of Roswell. Reverend Glenn Thyrion will be officiating.

A visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, September 19, 2014 at LaGrone Funeral Chapel

Rev. King was born on January 13, 1914 in Deer Harbour, Newfoundland Canada, to Edgar and Amelia King.
He received his B.A. from Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, and his B.D. from the McGill University in Montreal, Canada and continued his education at the United Theological College in Montreal, Canada. He did graduate work at Columba University in New York and was a Licentiate of the Institute of Pastoral Care in Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
In 1937, the Montreal-Ottawa Conference ordained him a minister of the United Church of Canada. He served twelve years as a minister in Montreal. In 1950, he was admitted to the Troy Methodist Conference of the United Methodist Church, Vermont. He served thirty years there and in upstate New York as Secretary of the Board of Pensions, the Joint Committee of Education and Missions and chaired the Rules and Resolutions Committees, in addition to being a part-time prison chaplain.
He married his first wife Emily Bryant in 1940; they were together for 40 years until her passing in 1980.
Rev. King specialized in working among the elderly and while serving the First United Methodist Church in Schenectady, New York together with a labor union leader, he formed a Council of Senior Citizens organization of some 5,000 members and was instrumental in re-contracting health insurance policies for the elderly. The council also founded a senior citizens center, which in the 1950’s was one of the first in the country. He became head of the R.S.V.P for the county and together with some Catholic nuns developed a health screening program for the elderly.
At that time, there was much misunderstanding about the place of religion in schools and he formed a committee of Jews and Christians to develop areas of common understanding. Rev. King chaired that committee for 8 years.
In 1982, he married his second wife Laura Brown. They moved to Colorado Springs in 1984. After much traveling in the U.S.A and abroad, Rev. King became Minister of Evangelism at First United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Afterwards he became Associate Pastor of the Korean Methodist Church in the same city. Due to climate reasons, they moved to Roswell, New Mexico in 1993. Laura passed away April, 13, 2008 in Roswell.
In 1999 for two years, Rev. King served as the First United Methodist Church in Roswell as Minister to Shut-Ins.
In 2002, The Cumberland College in Willaimsburg, Kentucky awarded him an honorary degree doctor of divinity for lifetime service.
On May 3, 2009, Rev. King married Onita Barkley a longtime friend. He was the love of her life for five plus years.
For a series of articles he wrote to a local newspaper he was awarded “Champion Correspondent” by the New York Press Association.
Rev. King is survived by his wife Onita Barkley King at the family home, along with several nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by wives; Emily Bryant King and Laura Brown King, brothers; Erwin King, Lewis King and Grandville King, sister; Marjorie Thistle.
Rev. King was active in many civic clubs – among them were the Roswell Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club of Roswell, the Roswell Midday Lions Club as its secretary and president served, the Roswell Daylight Order of Masons for several years as its Chaplain and as the District Grand Chaplain of The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Canada, Quebec .
Rev. King was known as one who loved people, and he loved God most of all. He was an effective preacher and pastor; many lives were changed because he came their way. He believed most of all in his heavenly father and he now is at home with him forever. Reverend Eric King will be greatly missed.

Now the laborer’s task is over
Now upon the farther shore
Lands the voyagers at last
and the angels sang.
Home at last! Home at last!
Thank God Almighty he’s home at last.

Author Unknown

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made in his name to Trinity United Methodist Church of Roswell, 1413 S. Union, Roswell NM 88201.
Online condolences may be made at www.lagronefuneralchapel.com
Arrangements are under the personal direction of LaGrone Funeral Chapel.

Obituary Provided By:
LaGrone Funeral Chapel
900 S. Main Street
Roswell, NM  88203
www.lagronefuneralchapels.com