John King, Jr.

John H. King Jr. was born on Oct. 17, 1955 in Tulsa, OK, the son of John H. King Sr. and W. Louise McClellan King. John attended Tahlequah Public Schools, graduated in 1973 and furthered his educational path with a business degree from NSU.

John and Geneva Dumond King were married in Oct. of 1973. Their lives together have spanned 45 ½ years of marriage. They were blessed with four children: Chief of Police Nate King, Associate Judge Joshua King and wife Michelle, Rebecca King Sharp, and Andy King and wife Sara. Even more blessings flowed with each grandchild that arrived in the family: Daniel and Cara King, Craylyn, Cooper and Caleb King, Ezekiel Sharp, Isaac, Luke and Jamison King.

John is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, as well as his mother, Louise King, one brother, Stan King and wife Denise, two nieces, Amanda King and Johnna Consadine.

John was preceded in death by his father, John H. King Sr., his sister Mary King Baron, his nephew John Paul Baron and one great niece, Kingsely Crittenden King.

John worked in management positions in numerous areas: Sales, Advertising, Nursing Home Administrator, buyer for Tahlequah Lumber Co. and Cherokee Nation Entertainment. He also served as Pastor of Tenkiller General Baptist for 13 years. He retired in January of 2015 due to health issues.

John's love for the sport of baseball was huge part of his life. He coached his children as well as many others from T-ball age through high school age. He managed and coached, with Rick Rozell, the first Little League team from Cherokee County to win a state title. He spent years involved with youth, teaching skills, building self -esteem and making the game fun and successful. Players would cross home plate "Walking Like An Egyptian", playing the field like "Lion after the Gazelle" and the favorite was booming out the tune "Who let the dogs out".

Local play at Phoenix Park and tournament play in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Indiana brought together a huge family of friends. That family watched out for each other, fed, watered, scrubbed uniforms, and banded together. This era was one of John's favorite times to look back on and tell old stories about.

John also had a great love for hunting. He spent countless hours in nature - always after that big buck. He instilled in his children that same love for hunting and nature.

God, family, and friends were the order of things for John. He departed this life at the age of 63 years old and five months, but he has entered into a realm that will never end. Pain free for an eternity. No Worries for an eternity - Nothing could be better for John.

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