Patrick John King

Dr. Patrick John King (86) of Ontario, California, passed away peacefully at his home in the loving company of his wife of 61 years, Virginia, his son Christopher, daughter Amy, son-in-law David and grandchildren Sarah and Alec.

Born and raised in Williams, Arizona, Dr. King was a highly educated, extremely well-read, incredibly artistic person who dedicated his life to helping people. From paper boy, milk delivery boy, bowling alley pin setter and melon packer to Football and Basketball Coach, Teacher, Principal, Deputy Superintendent of the Ontario Montclair School District, Ontario City Council Member and Field Office Representative to a California State Senator.

Patrick King attended Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado where he received a Major in Elementary Education and Minors in Mathematics and English in 1960. He returned to Williams to become a teacher from 1960 to 1965 while at the same time attending Northern Arizona University (NAU) where he received a Masters in Education and Minor in Psychology in 1965.

In 1961, Pat King met Virginia, a current NAU student, who coincidentally had been a student in his father’s High School Chemistry class in Phoenix, Arizona, where Virginia was raised. A year later, Pat and Virginia married.

After receiving his Masters in Education, Pat moved to Ontario, California with Virginia in the Fall of 1965 at which time Pat continued his career as an Elementary School teacher.

Pat’s personal education reached a pinnacle when he received a Doctorate in Education in School Administration from the University of Southern California in 1976.

Dr. King was a Principal of several Ontario schools from 1973 through 1984. His career in school administration began in 1984 and from 1985 to 1994, Dr. King was the Assistant Superintendent of the Ontario Montclair School District. From 1994 to 1998, Dr. King held the position of Deputy Superintendent of the Ontario Montclair School District.

Dr. King retired in 1998 but continued serving the people and became an Ontario City Council Member from 1998 to 2000. From 2000 to 2003, Dr. King was a Field Office Representative for California State Senator Nell Soto.

Throughout his lifetime, Dr. King served in dozens of community groups including several Water and Utilities Boards, as Board of Directors for the Ontario Salvation Army, Board of Trustees of the Ontario Museum of History and Art, President of the Ontario Montclair Teachers Association, President of the Ontario Montclair Principals Association, President of the Ontario Parkway Kiwanis Club, President of the Ontario Host Lions Club and as a member of the Ontario Elk’s Lodge.

Dr. King was warm, gracious, kind, humble, vibrant, smart, an incredible artist and musician, a great golfer, hugely avid sports, crossword puzzle, puzzle and Bridge fan, a heck of a party animal and funny as hell with a sharp mind up until the very end.

Dr. King could always warmly draw you in to his infectious spirit with either a stupid Dad joke or more likely a lengthy one from his mental library of thousands of Irish jokes or otherwise that he was able to pull from at will. On a similar tangent displaying his mental giganticness, he might next break into song while playing his guitar or violin. Perhaps he'd easily rattle off Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere” naming 92 locations.

Being from Williams, Arizona, Dr. King had a deep understanding of and love for Native American art. He spent countless hours during his lifetime carving over 150 wooden Hopi Kachinas (Northern Arizona Native American dolls). At one point during his long career in education when he was the Deputy Superintendent of the Ontario Montclair School District, he would often volunteer to bring in some of his kachinas to classrooms for cultural awareness lessons. In 2005, Dr. King won a Best of Show AND 1st Place Ribbon for his incredible handmade Kachina chess set. In addition to his beautiful carvings, Dr. King created other great works of art, including many paintings of Native American scenes.

Even if Dr. King wasn't a Hopi Native American, he modeled his life as one. "To be Hopi involves revering and respecting all things and is deeply rooted in religion, spirituality, morality and ethics." That was Dr. King, to a T.

Like the Hopi, "The Lakota do not have a fear of death or of going to an underworld. They do believe in a spirit world (Wakan Tanka) in the sky in which the deceased are free of pain and suffering. For tribal nations that view death in this way, moving from this world to the next is not something to be mourned, but rather it is something to be celebrated."

Likely resulting from his years of dedicated wood carving, Dr. King’s death was caused by Interstitial lung disease and congestive heart failure in his last years of life.

Dr. King is survived by his wife Virginia King, son Christopher King, daughter Amy Klein, son-in-law David Klein, grandchildren Sarah and Alec, sisters Kim and Frances, nephews Samp and Doug and nieces Mary and Heather.

A celebration of Dr. Patrick King’s incredible life will be held at the beginning of the new year and will be sure to be a party worthy of his memory.

"Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep,

I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond's gift of snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain, I am the autumn's gentle rain,

When you awaken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush.

Of quiet birds in circled flight, I am the soft stars that shine at night,

Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die."

Rest in Peace, dear Dr. Patrick John King (11/15/1937-11/19/2023)

Draper Mortuary extends our deepest condolences to the King family, friends, and to all who knew him during this difficult time. Patrick will be greatly and truly missed.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Draper-Mortuary.com for the King family.