Kenneth Vinson King

Kenneth Vinson King, 89, passed away Monday, March 21, 2016, at Arlington Memorial Hospital. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Wade Family Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington Funeral: 10 a.m. Thursday at Wade Family Funeral Home; Rev. Jerry Morris of Fielder Road Baptist officiating. Interment: Hopewell Cemetery, Lindale. Ken was born the eighth of twelve children to Ancil Vinson and Mattie Miller King on Nov. 14, 1926, in Hamlin. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and married Helen Elizabeth Sitton on Dec 29, 1945. In 1952 he relocated his family from Longview to Hurst where he was a machinist for Bell Helicopter for several years before starting his own machine shop, King-Whaley Corp. Some entrepreneurial endeavors he enjoyed were owning three restaurants and one bar, building homes, and flying his personal planes - from a 2-seat trainer to a twin-engine Piper Apache, plus rebuilding a gyrocopter that he never flew (Thank Goodness!) - but his main love and most enjoyable pastime was being with his family. He is survived by two sons, 3 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren: Son, Mark and wife, Bonnie with granddaughter Mollie (Michael) and great-grandchildren Allie, Katie, and Kenneth; Son, Vince and wife, Beth with granddaughters Valerie (Glenn) and Kristie (Clay) and great-granddaughters Morgan, Claire, and Abigail; youngest brother, Ancil “Yank” King of Corsicana; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews; many, many beloved friends and brothers/sisters in Christ – of which many lives he touched recently through his volunteer activities including Arlington Pregnancy Crisis Center, Fielder Road Baptist Church preschool classes, and Ambassador at Brookdale Senior Living Community. Ken is now reunited with Helen, his wife of 55 years, his grandson Doug, his parents, five brothers, five sisters, and his Heavenly Father.