E. King

April 24, 1942 - November 18, 2009

E. Lee King, 67, a good and honorable man, went to heaven to be with his Lord on Wednesday after suffering a massive heart attack. Lee was born to LeRoy and Thelma (Young) King in Prague, Okla. His childhood was spent in Oklahoma, Florida and California. He graduated from Richmond High School in Richmond, Calif., where he excelled in sports, lettering in baseball, football and basketball. He also graduated in 1973 from Western Baptist (now Corban) College in Salem. He married Beverly Williams in 1965. They lived in San Pablo, Calif., until 1970 when they moved to Salem and later to Albany. They had a daughter, Sherry. They later divorced. He married Lorraine (Wheat) Gibson in 1983. Lee had a heart for the working people of this country and worked tirelessly on their behalf. He worked for the last 33 years as an electrician at ATI Wah Chang and was a very involved member of Steelworkers Union Local 6163, where he had been serving on the Safety Committee. For the last several years, he has been president of the Linn-Benton-Lincoln Labor Council. He has also been a long-time member of the Workforce Investment Board, the Mid-Willamette Industrial Electrical Apprenticeship Committee, and the Legislative Education committee of the State AFL-CIO. He was a member of Eastside Christian Church where he served as a deacon. He was a generous and humble provider for all of his family and for anyone who needed a hand up or a hand out. Survivors include his wife, Lorraine; daughter Sherry Kroll and husband Mark of Lebanon; sons Trevor Gibson and wife Tami of Albany, and Aaron Gibson and wife Kim of Albany. He also leaves behind precious grandchildren Marissa and Ashley Banuelos of Carson, Calif., Cindy Kroll of Lebanon, and Kayla, TJ, Carli and Nick Gibson of Albany. A service will be at 10 a.m. today at Eastside Christian Church, 1910 Grand Prairie Road S.E., Albany, OR 97322. Hawaiian or OSU Beaver attire is appropriate. Memorials in Lee’s honor to Eastside Christian Church or the Steelworker’s Local 6163 Scholorship Fund, 1400 Salem Ave., Albany, OR 97321 would be gratefully accepted. “Rest well, oh good and faithful servant. You will be missed and remembered by all you left behind.”