Charles William King, age 82, a longtime Deep Creek Community resident, died November 26, 2022, at Brewster Place in Topeka, where he had lived since July of 2022.
He was born September 10, 1940, in Centralia, Illinois, the son of William Charles and Frances Marian (Purcell) King.
On September 12, 1970, in Springfield, Missouri, he was married to Patricia Louise Stokes. Mrs. King survives Charles in Topeka. Additional survivors include his three children: Denise King and her husband Uwe Haensel of Bad Homburg, Germany, Cayla King and her husband Troy Brown of Rossville, KS, and William King and his wife Jessie King of Manhattan; one sister Patricia King of Manhattan; and five grandchildren: Blake Laurel and Dalton Brown, Isabell King and Avery Jones.
Charles served for 22 years in the United States Army, and honorably retired at the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4, on January 1, 1982. His area of work was criminal investigations and as a polygraph examiner. He had received numerous awards and commendations including National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with one Silver Star, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Army Commendation Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon “2“, and the Legion of Merit.
Charles always aspired to learn. In his retirement, he attended Kansas State University and earned several Masters Degrees in Animal Science, Agronomy, and Spanish. Charles also farmed in the Deep Creek Community, and enjoyed hunting, fishing, traveling and woodworking. He was a member of the Rural Water District for many years, the American Legion Post 31 in Rossville, and the Optimist Club in Manhattan.
The family will receive friends from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Friday, December 9th, at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, December 10th, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 4483 Vinyard Road, Wamego, KS. Interment with military honors will follow in the Pleasant Valley Cemetery near Zeandale. he family will have a lunch and celebration of Charles’ life from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Deep Creek Community Center.
Memorial contributions may be made to either the Optimist Club or the Wounded Warriors Project. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502.