Master Sgt. (ret.) Odis Wesley King, 79, of Fleming died April 16, 2011, after an extended illness.
He was born Dec. 2, 1931, in Garner, Ark., and attended 10 years of school in Garner including two in Garner High School. The remaining two years he attended at Booneville High School in Booneville, Miss. After graduating from high school in Mississippi, Mr. King attended junior college at BeeBee, Ark.
Mr. King served in the United States Army as a military policeman with 20 years of service (26 Nov. 1952 to 31 Jan. 1973), earning numerous awards and decorations. He was also a Vietnam vet. He was also selected as chief federal game warden, Law Enforcement Division at Fort Stewart from Oct. 7, 1981 through Sept. 27, 1997. He was a retired officer with the Georgia Hunting and Fishing Federation. Mr. King was also a member of the Hinesville Officials Association and a member of Fleming Baptist Church.
Mr. King, an avid hunter, organized and established the first Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation known as the Coastal Chapter in 1984. Mr. King also organized, with other local hunters, game hunts on Fort Stewart and in Liberty County for visiting VIPs (i.e. generals and congressmen).
Mr. King’s generous and kind heart was an inspiration to his family. He lived the adage of giving you the shirt of his back and he lived his life with integrity and bravery.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 34 years Joyce Rogers King, their sons, Wesley and Nancy King of Fleming, Wayne and Sylvie King of Midway, Tim and Missy Blount of Fleming and Jeff and Rena’ Blount of Lyons; six grandchildren, Stephanie Sisler, Terri Whiteside, Ryan King, Trevor Blount, Delese Garrett and Mallory Jones; four great-grandchildren, Nolan Hyatt, Carson Sisler, Payton Garrett and Liam King; his sister, Clara Fergus of Garner; and several nieces and nephews. Mr. King is also survived by his former wife, Catherine Gaster, the mother of his sons, Wesley and Wayne King.
Mr. King was preceded in death by his father, John Wesley King, his mother, Florence Price King, a brother, Clyde Blount, and a sister, Ottis Stalnaker.
This soldier, sports official, ball player, coach, competitive sky diver, and avid hunter and fisherman is a true Red-Man Tobacco chewing, good-ole boy, with a sometime character compared to the country comic Jerry Clower who truly loved sports and Liberty County.
Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Monday, April 18, at Carter Funeral Home Oglethorpe Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 19, at Fleming Baptist Church, officiated by the Rev. Ronnie Miles, the Rev. Reggie Dickey and the Rev. Jimmy Anderson. Burial will follow at Mount Olivet Methodist Church Cemetery with full military honors.