William R King

Bill was born in Pineville, La. on December 15, 1934, the second son of William R. King, Sr. and Gertrude Dillon King. Young Billy King lost his father when he was only age 10, and only through the sacrifices of his older brother Carroll and the faith of his mother did the fatherless family survive the difficult times. Billy had a paper route and later worked as a soda jerk, among other odd jobs, to help the family, which included a widowed mother and a toddler, his brother Wayne.

Billy was a Class of 1953 graduate of Bolton High School in Alexandria, Louisiana, where he was a good student and a member of the 1950-52 Bolton Bruins football teams. Bill remained very close to many of his high school classmates and teammates throughout his life.

Bill attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge for three semesters, but financial pressures led him, along with his lifelong best friend Dr. John Patrick Galloway, to leave LSU in 1954 and join the United States Marine Corps. After completing a peaceful tour of duty with the Marines, Bill returned to Pineville to complete his Bachelor's Degree in Accounting at Louisiana College (now known as Louisiana Christian University).

After completing his degree and working as a clerk at Rapides Bank in Alexandria, Bill was reintroduced to a high school classmate, Lynn Louise Bagley, the daughter of Martin and Avis Bagley of Alexandria. They dated, and were wed on March 26, 1959 at University United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge.

After moving to Dallas to pursue a career in banking, Bill and Lynn were blessed with two sons, Robert (born 1961) and Donald (born 1962).

Bill was employed as Senior Vice President, Credit Card Marketing at Preston State Bank in Dallas, where he was a pioneer in banking for local merchants. He was later an Executive Vice President, Executive and Professional Lending at Bank of the Southwest in Houston, and President of Village National Bank in Houston. In the process, he made a number of friendships with professionals and business executives in Highland Park, in downtown Houston, and in the Energy Corridor of west Houston.

Bill officiated high school football games as a hobby. As evidence of his talents, he was assigned to work four different Texas high school championship games at the highest classification, among numerous other important playoff games. His success at the high school level led to opportunities to officiate college games in the Lone Star Conference, the Gulf States Conference, the Southland Conference, and finally, the Southwest Conference, before an injury forced him to retire. Bill also worked as a clock operator for the Dallas Cowboys and, later, for the Houston Oilers. For many years he was a fixture on the sidelines at the Astrodome on autumn Sundays.

Bill was an avid sports fan, particularly of the LSU Tigers football team and of the Houston Astros baseball club. He lived to see them both win championships.

In his retirement years he and Lynn traveled as often as they could until health would no longer permit. Their favorite destinations were the Austrian Alps and the American Pacific Northwest. They lived their final years at the Eagles Trace retirement community, where they made many wonderful friends.

In addition to his parents, Bill is predeceased by his son Donald William King, his older brother James Carroll King, his sister-in-law Margaret Dupuy King, and his nephew Ronald Carroll King.

Bill is survived by his sweetheart and wife of 64 years Lynn King; also by his son Robert Martin King; by his daughters-in-law Julie Reynolds King and Kathy Buckles King; also by his grandchildren Kalyn Ann King Herrera, William Reynolds King, Jennifer Lynn King Milligan and Peter Bagley King; and by great-grandson Julian Alexander Herrera.

Surviving extended family members include younger brother Clyde Wayne King, sister-in-law Diane Redmond King, nieces Donna King Burch and Shelley King Scott, and nephew Geoffrey Scott King; and numerous cousins in the King, Dillon, Mathis and Roan clans.

Bill’s life is a testament to the American dream. He came from a disadvantaged background due to the premature death of his father, but worked hard to overcome it. Through intelligence, persistence and good cheer, he rose through the ranks of the Texas banking industry to become a bank president.

The family thanks the wonderful nurses and aides at the Bayou Vista Continuing Care facility at Eagles Trace, who lovingly took care of him in his final months.

Inurnment will be at Memorial Oaks Cemetery, 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas on Saturday, November 4 at 2:30pm.

A memorial service will be held at the Austin Square Conference Facility, Eagles Trace Retirement Community, 14703 Eagle Vista Drive, Houston, Texas 77077 on Saturday December 2 at 1pm.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Bill’s memory to one of the following charities below: