King

Thomas Francis "Tom" King, 65, of Parker died unexpectedly of natural causes at 5:10 p.m. Saturday at Butler Memorial Hospital.

Born in Parker, March 1, 1941, he was the son of the late Harry and Helen Bartoe King.

After he attended the Parker High School, now the Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School, he worked at the former Glass Containers Corp. in Parker.

In February 1963, he joined the Army and served much of his tour of duty in Frankfurt, Germany, with the Army Signal Corps. He was discharged with the rank of SP/4 in June 1965 and was a member of the American Legion in Parker.

He then worked at the Witco Chemical Co. in Petrolia for 37 years and retired in April 2003. While with Witco, in addition to his regular duties, he was sent to a wide variety of industrial fire fighting schools at Texas A&M University.

Mr. King was a member of the Parker United Methodist Church, where he served on the board of trustees, as church treasurer and was on many committees.

He also was a member of the Parker Rotary Club for years, where he was president for several terms, was chairman of the sausage sale committee and was a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International.

As a lifelong resident of Parker City, he gave much back to his hometown. He served on Parker City Council, completed the term of the late Thomas Corso as mayor and served one term as mayor on his own.

He was a lifelong member of Parker City Volunteer Fire Company, where he served from president to all stations of line chief and was chief for years. In addition to many committees at Parker City Volunteer Fire Company, he was a member of Perry Township Volunteer Fire Company and the Petrolia Volunteer Fire Company.

He also served two coroners, Robert Welsh and Robert Bower, as deputy coroner for northern Armstrong County. Under state guidelines, he was certified for that office under the direction of Coroner Bower and assisted in Clarion County when called upon.

He served the late Fred S. Bowser at his funeral home in Parker in both the ambulance service and with funeral work until Bowser's death in 1977. He then became affiliated with the present Buzard Funeral Home in Parker, and on a more frequent basis following his retirement from Witco.

Mr. King was a member of the Parker City-Allegheny Valley Lodge 521 and the New Castle Consistory.

Surviving are his wife, the former, Diane "Dee" Miller, whom he married Sept. 28, 1965; a daughter, April King of Parker; a son, Robert "Bob" King and his wife, Lori, of Foxburg, and three grandchildren, Katie, Chloe and Karly King, all of Foxburg.

He also is survived by two sisters, Marcia Fulmer of West Freedom and Donna Kinney of Parker; two brothers, William "Bill" King and his wife, Shirley, of West Freedom and Donald King and his wife, Barb, of St. Petersburg, Clarion County; and a number of nieces, nephews and aunts and an uncle.

<B>KING</B> — Friends of Thomas Francis "Tom" King, who died Saturday, Oct. 28, 2006, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the <B>H. Jack Buzard Funeral Home</B>, Wayne Street, Parker. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the First United Methodist Church of Parker. Burial will follow at the Parker Presbyterian Cemetery.Members of Parker City Volunteer Fire Department will hold a memorial service at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.Members of Parker City-Allegheny Valley Lodge 521 will hold a memorial service at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.Memorial donations may be made to the Roof Fund of Parker United Methodist Church, Washington Street, Parker, PA 16049.