John King

John Hugh King passed away peacefully on December 9, 2022 at the age of 89. John will always be remembered as a loving husband and father, dedicated civic leader and consummate gentleman.

Born in Sondheimer, Louisiana on September 29, 1933 to Hazel and Charles King, John was raised in Texarkana, Texas with his siblings, Charlene and Don. After graduating from the University of North Texas. John moved to Fort Worth where he met the dynamic schoolteacher and love of his life, Betty Taylor. Betty and John's courtship began on a first date to a TCU football game which sparked a lifelong love of football, especially for his favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys. They were soon married on July 7, 1961. After moving to Roswell, New Mexico a few years later, Betty and John welcomed their precious daughters, Karolyn and Kathryn, who were a constant source of pride and joy.

While John began his career selling insurance, he found his professional passion in the family broadcasting business. He worked in both television and radio and may best be remembered by Roswellians for his morning roundtable talk show on KBIM Radio about timely civic issues. His popular daily show ran for decades, and he proudly opened each show with his signature phrase, "it's a beautiful day in the Pecos Valley!"

John was honored to serve his community in a variety of ways. Whether he was serving as an elder of First Christian Church or as a member of the Rotary Club of Roswell, the Roswell Masonic Lodge or the Kiwanis Club of Roswell, John led with grace and humility. Even after losing his eyesight at the age of 57, John remained an engaged member of the community. He could always find time for a good game of chess.

John King was loved and admired by all who knew him and will be greatly missed by the Roswell community that he so cherished.

John is survived by his wife of 61 years, Betty Taylor King, his daughters, Karolyn King Gillespie and Kathryn King Marley, son-in-law Mark Marley, and his brother, Donald King. He is also survived by his grandchildren and their spouses, Kate Marley Jones and Will Jones, Molly McKinney Marley, Ian Nelson and Audrey Gillespie, as well as three great-grandchildren, Margot Marley, Charlotte Marley and John Taylor "JT'' Jones. John was preceded in death by his parents, Hazel and Charles King, his sister, Charlene King Spriggs, and his beloved grandson, Taylor King Marley.

A private graveside service for John will be held on December 16, 2022.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico, www.rmhc-nm.org, or to your charity of choice.