King, Clifford E. (1924-2010)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2010 Jul 12 p. 13

Birth date: 1924 Jun 12

text of obituary:

CLIFFORD E. KING

Clifford E. King, 85, of Colorado Springs, Colo., died May 19, 2010. He was born June 12, 1924, to L.O. (Levi Oliver) and Anna Mae (Erb) King near Hutchinson, Kan.

He married Mona Bebe Yoder of Crystal Springs, Kan., on June 20, 1948.

During World War II he served in Civilian Public Service at Glacier National Park, at Kalamazoo (Mich.) State Hospital and at the Mennonite Central Committee headquarters in Akron, Pa. He graduated from Hesston (Kan.) College, Goshen (Ind.) College; Goshen Biblical Seminary and Tulane (La.) University.

His vocational work included pastor at East Holbrook Mennonite Church in Cheraw, executive director of Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp and Frontier Boys Village in Divide, division head of El Paso County Social Services Department, and executive director of Maple Lawn Homes, Eureka, Ill. He served on hospital boards in Rocky Ford, Walsenburg and La Jara. He served as president of the Health Association of the Pikes Peak Region. He helped create the Retired Senior Volunteer Program in Woodford County, Ill. He established a child day-care center adjacent to the retirement community of which he was executive director, for which he received an Illinois Governor’s Award, a Mennonite Health Association Award.

He was a member of Beth-El Mennonite Church of Colorado Springs, where he served three separate terms as interim pastor and was involved in many activities, including as Mennonite Weekly Review congregational correspondent.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Mona; five children, Venita Birky of Colorado Springs, Shirley Gaye Metheny of Lecompton, Kan., Robert of Danville, Ill., Richard of Colorado Springs and James of Sao Paulo, Brazil; a sister, Lila Mae Janzen of Harrisonburg, Va.; 15 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Esther Mullet; and four brothers, Sanford, Donald, Allen and Kenneth.

Memorial services were held at Beth-El Mennonite Church.