Charlie R. King Jr.

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11 In December of 1955 when Charlie King was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, God had already prepared a special path for him for a life of good works and joyful communion with a loving family and a host of good friends. His parents, Charles King, Sr. and Claudine (Huff) King moved their family to Siloam Springs where Charlie grew up with his sisters Vicky and Leahann, and graduated from high school in 1974. During high school, Charlie played fullback for the Panthers’ football team, and both excelled at the sport and made valuable, lifelong friendships. He would later go on to play college football and graduate with an Associate’s Degree in Drafting from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. But two very important things happened before he embarked on his career. Charlie accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior and was baptized in October of 1971. He also went on an important first date with Rhonda Brown to a JBU candlelight service 1973. He married Rhonda in 1977, and for the rest of his life, he was faithfully dedicated to serving God and being a devoted husband. In 1981, their daughter, Lacy, was born and both Rhonda and Charlie began a new chapter of their lives as parents. Charlie would do whatever it took to keep Rhonda and Lacy safe and happy; and he did. Parenting came very naturally to both of them and over the years, they extended God’s love to many more children through youth ministry work in their churches. It is impossible to know how many children they cared for, and fed, and witnessed to, and soothed when they were in need; many of you reading this tribute saw their faith in action. We are grateful that God called both of them to do this type of work; they were an extremely happy couple and they were at their best when they were serving the Lord together. Charlie and Rhonda moved to Oklahoma City for a little over a decade, but returned to Siloam Springs in 1988, and a few years later Charlie opened his own drafting office downtown. Most recently, he worked as an engineering technician for the Springdale Water Utilities. When Charlie wasn’t working, he enjoyed fly fishing and bike riding, especially in Colorado. He enjoyed the solitude of a long bike ride, but he also enjoyed teaching others these types of activities so that they could enjoy them, too. Charlie was easy to be around because he cared more about sharing these activities and teaching others about the joy they could bring than being a perfectionist. Lacy married Kent Dahl and their daughter, Ava, was born in 2013. This began another new chapter for Rhonda and Charlie, as grandparents (“Opa and Nana”), and they just may have found their highest calling in nurturing Ava and supporting Lacy and Kent. Because of Charlie’s life of servant leadership, he had a long list of friends and family. Charlie was present at all of the big events, and supportive to Fran, Brenda and Joe, Ben and Bekah and their families, Steven King and his family, many nieces and nephews, and countless others. Funeral services will be 2:00 pm Friday June 4th 2021, at First Christian Church in Siloam Springs. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Siloam Springs.

Tributes

Charlie R. King Jr.

December 16, 1955 - May 28, 2021