Charlie Lloyd King passed away this week in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after a long and fruitful life of 96 years. It was a life devoted to the three things he trusted most: his family, his community, and a lifelong passion of learning. Mr. King was born January 28, 1923 near Okarche, Oklahoma, the eighth of eleven children born to Addie Martin (Thorne) King and Julian Sands (Jessie) King. His father died when he was 10 and his older sisters, especially Jewel (King) Broderson, helped with his upbringing. After graduating from Okarche High School in 1940, Mr. King went to work as a carpenter, working out of the El Reno local union hall on projects in the Southwest US. He enlisted in the Navy in October 1942 and was assigned as a Carpenters Mate to the 61st Construction Battalion (Seabees) and spent his tour in the Pacific Theater building airfields and support facilities during the island campaigns up through Guadalcanal, Emirau, and then Leyte and Samar in the Philippine Islands. He was honorably discharged in November of 1945 after the war ended. Mr. King returned to Oklahoma, and in inspired by one of the Seabee officers during the war, he enrolled at Oklahoma State University to study Civil Engineering. In addition to the GI Bill, Mr. King worked as a trim carpenter on student housing that was under construction on the OSU campus, and was a member of the Naval Reserve unit. It was during his first year at OSU that his roommate introduced him to Juanita May, a chemistry major from Pawhuska, Oklahoma. They married on September 7, 1947 and spent the next 68 years building a life and family in Oklahoma. At the time of his death, that family included their 4 children, 10 grandchildren, and 26 great grandchildren scattered throughout the United States west of the Mississippi River. Mr. King graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1950 and became a life-long advocate of everything OSU. He was a season ticket holder for OSU football for over 40 years and cheered for the Cowboys through thick and thin, though he preferred the winning seasons best. He served on the Board of Visitors for the Civil Engineering School (1974-1977) and was a serial donor to scholarship funds and the Engineering school. After receiving his degree, Mr. King started graduate school, but his academic career was interrupted when he was called up from the Naval Reserve for active duty during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in January of 1952 and returned to Oklahoma to continue building his life and career. Later that spring, he went to work as a civil engineer for W.R. Holway Engineering Co., of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Significant work for Holway on the City of Tulsa water system and the long-term strategic plan for development that played a role in the rest of his career. Mr. King was hired by Lock Joint Pipe Company in 1962 as a Sales Engineer and worked on Projects in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas. In 1967 he left Lock Joint and became partner with Bob Moore in a construction company later known as CTM, Inc. where he worked until he retired in 1986. Throughout his career Mr. King was active in professional and industry associations including National Society of Professional Engineers, Associated General Contractors, and the Oklahoma Municipal Contractors, serving on technical committees and as an elected officer. After his retirement, Mr. King continued his work in the community and was elected Water and Sewer Commissioner for the City of Tulsa in 1988. He worked closely with Mayor Randle and the other City Commissioners after his election to change the Tulsa City Charter to a mayor-council format in lieu of the of the existing administration. This was adopted by the election in 1989. After his term with the City Commission, Mr. King continued to work in various roles in the state and local Democrat Party. In 1991, Mr. King and his wife moved to a forty-acre tract in rural Creek County and continued to develop the property as their home and a retreat for his family. The Forty Acres hosted birthdays, anniversaries, Easter egg hunts, Thanksgiving dinners, and many introductions as his family continued to expand and grow. It was also a focal point of his continuing passion for learning about any subject from Astronomy to Monarch Butterflies. When he said that he had the "world's vastest store of useless knowledge", no one ever disputed that claim. He entertained friends and family with in-depth knowledge for many hours of wide-ranging reading and learning. Mr. King is survived by his two daughters, Janie Lyon (Tulsa, OK), Joyce Cheatham (Pawnee, OK) and two sons John King (La Habra Heights, CA) and Charles King (Denver, CO); 10 grandchildren; and 26 grandchildren. A private family service will be held. The family requests that individuals making memorial donations in memory of Mr. King consider Grace Hospice, 6218 S. Lewis Ave., Tulsa, OK 73136 or Barth Syndrome Foundation, 2005 Palmer Ave. #1003, Larchmont, NY, 10538. Legacy Touch Code: DDEQRKRU