Edward William Bill King

Edward William ?Bill? King, Sr., age 83, Kingsport, died Thursday, December 7, 2006 at his home following an extended illness.

Born January 29, 1923 in North Fork, West Virginia, the family moved to Kingsport in 1925. Bill was educated in the Kingsport School System, graduating from Dobyns-Bennett High School. He attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Washington and Lee University, and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

During World War II Bill served in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. As a member of the 544th Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment, which was part of the Eighth Amphibious Engineer Brigade, his duty was in the operation of landing craft.

Mr. King?s career was centered around family corporations, with his last position being Chairman-Treasurer of the Mason and Dixon Lines, Inc., and President-Treasurer of Crown Enterprises, Inc. Mason-Dixon was the largest privately owned trucking company?ranking sixteenth in size of motor carriers in the United States. Crown was primarily a real estate company, building and leasing terminal facilities to Mason-Dixon and other companies in the industry. Crown was the developer of Crown Colony, a residential development located in Kingsport. These companies were sold in 1984.

Many of his affiliations were in the field of the motor carrier industry. He was President of the Tennessee Motor Transport Association and Trustee of the ATA Foundation, and Chair of the Regular Common Carrier Conference.

Among his civic activities he served as Secretary-Treasurer of Holston Valley Hospital and Medical Center 1956-1979, on the Kingsport Board of Education during the construction of Dobyns-Bennett High School, as President of Kingsport Civitan Club, on the Boards of the Chamber of Commerce and United Way, and as a Trustee of the East Tennessee State University Foundation.

Mr. King also served as a board member of two financial institutions, Kingsport National Bank First Tennessee Bank and Kingsport Federal Savings and Loan. In 1958, he was awarded the ?Young Man of the Year? award by the Junior Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. King was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Kingsport where he was privileged to have served as an Every Member Canvas Chairman for Stewardship, a Trustee, a Treasurer, a Deacon, and an Elder.

A son of the late E. Ward and Myrtle Charlton King, he was also preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Preston King and his brother, Harold Wellington King.

Surviving are his wife, Martha Lee Corns Mather King; son, Edward William King, Jr. of Las Vegas, NV; daughters, Elizabeth King Brown of Fort Lauderdale, FL and Mary King Sullivan and husband Mark of Charlotte, NC; and Martha?s sons and their wives, Charles Beckman Mather, Jr. and wife Jan of Kingsport; Dr. Jon Atherton Mather and wife M?Liss of Kingsport. He is also survived by seven grandchildren; one brother, John R. ?Jack? King and wife, Jane; and one sister, Margaret ?Peg? King Norris, all of Kingsport.

Family graveside services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Oak Hill Memorial Park.

A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday at First Presbyterian Church in Kingsport with The Rev. Dr. David A. Cagle officiating.

The family will receive friends at the church following the memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one?s choice.

Please visit www.hamlettdobson.com to leave an e-mail condolence for the King family.