Phillip Rex King

Phillip “Rex” King was born in Pinckard, Alabama to James W. King and Mittie Gissendanner. His father was a farmer and very instrumental in establishing peanuts as a cash crop in the Wiregrass area. His mother was very active in Pinckard’s United Methodist Church.

He graduated from Midland City High School in 1946 and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. He served in postwar Japan on the island of Kyushu with the 8067th Airdrome Detachment. After military service, he enrolled in the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa where he majored in Commerce. He was a member of Delta Chi fraternity and a cheerleader for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Following college, he moved to Atlanta and began a 38-year career with the railroad. He first worked for Southern Railway. In the 1960’s while employed with Northern Pacific Railway, he escorted one of ten trainloads of Girl Scouts from Chicago to Lewiston, Idaho to their World Jamboree. The train was comprised of fifteen cars full of Girl Scouts from all over the southeastern states. A one-day stop was arranged for the girls to tour Yellowstone National Park. His efforts earned him the title of Honorable Girl Scout. In 1968 while with Northern Pacific’s freight traffic department, he returned to Japan after being appointed Manager Far East Sales with its headquarters in Tokyo.

He retired in 1993 in Atlanta as the Assistant to the Regional Sales Director of Norfolk Southern Railway. He lived in the Loring Heights neighborhood of northwest Atlanta for over 50 years.

He is survived by his nephews James Patterson (Judy) of Cartersville GA and Stewart Atkinson (Mary) of Tallahassee FL, his nieces Cathy Patterson Smith of Burnsville NC, Rebecca King Schuler (Reggie) of Pinckard and Cassandra King Conroy (Pat) of Beaufort SC, and many great nephews and nieces and by his good friend Jake Marino. He was preceded in death by his brothers James Elton King and Max King of Pinckard, his sisters Roslyn Patterson of Bainbridge GA and Kathryn Atkinson of Sneads FL, and his nieces Linda Patterson Garland of Kennebunkport, ME and Nancy Jane King of Talladega AL.

The family will meet at the Pinckard Cemetery for graveside services at a later date.