Amedeus Charles King

Major (retired)

1927 - 2010

Peacefully, at home, on November 30th 2010. Predeceased by Cecile, his wife of 58 years; father of John King (Joan), Joanne Hollands (Brian) and Jim King (Noreen); grandfather of Jennifer Mackintosh, Emily Hope, Thomas King, Jarrett Hollands and Jessica King; and great-grandfather of Allan James and Taylor Anne Mackintosh. He is survived by a sister, Bella Gauvin of Moncton, N.B. He will be fondly remembered by his family as a loving father and grandfather. His military career, spanning 34 years, took him through the ranks from boy soldier in WWII at the age of 17, and then in the R.C.A.F. Medical Branch and the Canadian Forces Medical Service to his retirement as a major in 1981. He was a graduate in health care administration of Baylor University and US Army Medical School Texas. Held numerous appointments in the Canadian Forces, including a lengthy post on the staff of the Surgeon General. His long association as a volunteer with St. John Ambulance of Canada became a full-time occupation on his retirement from the Canadian Forces, where he helped to innovate first aid training techniques and materials for that organization leading to his admission to the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem and subsequent advancements in grade to Commander. He was a strong supporter of the Defence Medical Association of Canada and served on both its national executive and on its Eastern Ontario Branch. He took up amateur radio as a post-retirement hobby and held the call sign VE3PDK. His abiding interest in aviation history drew him to Canada’s Aviation Museum where he worked as a volunteer for over 20 years, both as a docent and a researcher of the history of the Museum’s aircraft. Charles was known as a raconteur who had an anecdote to fit any occasion and a store of military historical knowledge and trivia. An avid reader, he had a natural curiosity about everything in his surroundings, researching material and sharing the knowledge with his children and grandchildren. He was an organizer of numerous social functions for friends and medical colleagues, including several national reunions, and chaired the community council of his retirement residence, Park Place Seniors Suites. Visitation at McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home, 1411 Hunt Club Road (at Albion), on Thursday, December 2 from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. Funeral Mass at St. Maurice Church, 4 Perry Street (at Meadowlands) on Friday, December 3 at 12 noon. In lieu of flowers, in memoriam donations may be made to the Palliative Care Outreach Program, 1716 Woodward Drive, Suite 111, Ottawa, K2C 0P8. Online guest book at www.mcevoy-shields.com.