John Stephen King, resident of Atmore, Alabama, died Wednesday, July 5, 2017. He was 76 years old.
Mr. King was born in 1941 and grew up in Grant's Quarry, near Sylacauga, Alabama where the family owned business, The Alabama Marble Company, quarried and finished the world's finest quality white marble.
He was a graduate of St. Bernard College in Cullman, Alabama where he met lifelong friends and benefited from the guidance of the monks and priests who taught him.
His career was in medical equipment sales, based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, during a time when surgically implanted orthopedic and cardiac devices began to be more available. His outgoing personality suited him for his profession. He never met a stranger, and you could always hear him say, "Hello, I'm John King!"
He later worked in the groundbreaking bioremediation industry, educating customers, and marketing this new technology in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi.
John King prided himself on staying healthy and physically fit and was an avid exercise enthusiast.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry Mitchell King and Marjorie Van Winkle King; his brother, Henry Mitchell Jr.; and his sister, Marjorie "Jerre" King Cleveland.
John is survived by his wife, Gaye Davis King of Atmore; daughters, Antonia "Toni" King Baria and Marjorie King Jones of Spanish Fort; stepsons, Jonathon (January) Taylor and Justin Taylor; his grandchildren, Shellee, Lee, Rhian, Crew, John, Noah, Stephen and Aaron; great-grandchildren, Liam, Jonathan Jr., Selby-Marie, Henry and William; sister-in-law, Patricia Tanna King of Fairhope; brother-in-law, H. B. Cleveland of Magnolia Springs; his nieces, Florence King (Rick) Rose, Harriet King (Fritz) Ingraham and Catherine King; and many other family members and friends.
John was blessed with many friends with whom he kept in touch throughout his life. He will be sorely missed.
A memorial service will be held at a future time to be announced at Memorial Cemetery in Sylacauga, Alabama. Officiating will be Rev. Siobhan Singareddy, pastor of St. Jude Catholic Church in Sylacauga.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations, in Mr. King's memory, be made to: St. Bernard Preparatory School in Cullman, Alabama.
Expressions of condolence may be offered at www.hughesfh.com.
Arrangements are by Hughes Funeral Home & Crematory, 7951 American Way, Daphne, AL.
