John A. King

SERVICES: 2:00 PM Tuesday, February 14, 2012, at First Christian Church, with Dr. Jeff Knighton, pastor, officiating.BURIAL: Fairview Cemetery with Masonic rites courtesy of Pampa Masonic Lodge #966 AF&AM. Arrangements are under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.BIOGRAPHY: Mr. King was born February 23, 1920 in Pawhuska, Oklahoma to John Thomas and Bonnie Mearl King. This area is located in northeastern Oklahoma in an area known as Osage Hills. John began memorizing the Bible at age 8, and was the youngest Eagle Boy Scout in Texas at age 13. He built Pampa's first color TV from a kit in 1952 and was one of Pampa's first TV repairmen.After 3 years at West Texas State University in Canyon as a pre-med student, he was drafted into the U. S. Army where he served during World War II. He was trained to install forty-kilowatt radio teletype transmitters in foreign countries. John earned three bronze stars and served in New Guinea, Guadalcanal and the Philippines where he ran teletype transmitters that General Douglas MacArthur used to communicate with Washington, D. C.Returning to civilian life, he worked with his father as a magneto, starter and engine repairman. After his father's death, he renamed the shop "John T. King and Sons" and ran it with his brothers Warren and Tom. John was celebrated as a genius among all his business and personal friends. Pampa High School's first National Science Foundation first place award for a science fair project was built in John's shop. He achieved a math degree from West Texas University in 1960, working all the calculus and differential equations in his head. He was a member of the first group of Pampa's Amateur Operators (W5GXK) and the first amateur operator to use digital communications. John was the third person to sign up for internet service and the first to use the internet for business purposes in Pampa.John married Betty Parks on December 14, 1947 at First Christian Church in Pampa. He was very active member of First Christian Church, serving as youth director, Sunday school teacher, and raising money for many church building projects. He was a member of Pampa Masonic Lodge #966 AF&AM and was a 32nd degree Mason. He helped numerous people through the Masonic Lodge with health and personal problems. He was very generous to his friends and family members with all of life's challenges.John inherited genes of humor from his grandfather, and at the age of 83, had a repertoire of over 1000 jokes. He made a point of making everyone smile who he met during his travels during every day. If he was unsuccessful with someone, he would make a point of working on them until he raised a smile on their face. He believed laughter was the best way to solve life's problems.SURVIVORS: wife: Betty King of the home; son: John Hardy King and wife Angela of Pampa; grandson: Shawn King of Pampa; granddaughter: LaJeanna King of Pampa; 2 great-grandsons: Braydn Urbanczyk of Arkansas and Jesse Downs of Pampa; 3 great-granddaughters: Cylea Urbanczyk of Arkansas, and twins Bella and Emma Smith, scheduled to be born by March 13, 2012; sister-in-law: Linda King of Winchester, Tennessee; and close personal friend: Chrissie Roach of Pampa. He was preceded in death by his parents: John T. and Bonnie King; a son: Charles Randal King; an infant daughter; 4 brothers: Warren, Tom, Albert and Pat; a sister: Doris Ann; and a granddaughter: Mashonda King Urbanczyk.