Thomas King

CLEVELAND Thomas L. King, 91, passed away Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, at a healthcare facility in Rossville.He was born on Dec. 1, 1920 in Dunlap, Tenn.. He was a member of Big Spring Baptist Church and retired in 1988 from Bell South after 38 years of service. Mr. King was a veteran of the U.S. Army where he served during World War II from 1942 to 1945. He was a member of the VFW and American Legion in Cleveland. He was treasurer for the Cleveland Mens Bowling Association for 36 years and inducted into their Hall of Fame during 2005/2006. He was also given the Walter Kile Memorial Award - Bowler of the Year 1991. His other hobbies included woodworking and piecing quilts.He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Emma Lee Crisp King who passed away in 2007; parents Lewis Clyde King and Manila Ruth Johnson King; and sister, Dortha Mae Jones.Survivors include his daughters, Carrie Lee Kennedy and husband, Larry, of Bethlehem, Ga., and Julia Lynn Newton and husband, Dr. Phil Newton, of Lookout Mountain, Ga.; three grandchildren, Stephanie Weeks, of Loganville, Ga., Joy Bates and husband, Kevin, of Cleveland and Grant Benton and wife, Jamie, of Redmond, Ore.; great-grandchildren, Trevor and Bodie Weeks, of Loganville, Ga., Ethan and Georgia Bates, of Cleveland and Jasmine and Josh Papen, of Oregon; sister, Juanita K. Johnson, of Dunlap, Tenn.; brother, Luther B. King, of Livonia, Mich.; several nieces and nephews also survive.Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012, in the chapel of Fike Funeral Home with the Rev. Marshall Roberson officiating.Entombment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens with military honors.Grant Benton, Larry Kennedy, Kevin Bates, Dr. Phil Newton, Ed Thacker, and Jack Kennedy will serve as pallbearers. Bob Davis will serve as honorary pallbearer. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service.His family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, 2012, and from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday at the funeral home.The family would like to thank the staff at Wellington Place, Heritage Healthcare, and Parkside Nursing Home. Please send donations to the charity of your choice. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the King family guestbook at www.fikefh.com.