Charles A. King, 88, of Bourbon, passed away at 12:40 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, 2015, at Woodlawn Hospital, Rochester.

Charlie was born on July 11, 1927, to Dewey and Sarah King at Claypool. He had been a lifelong resident of Tippecanoe and Bourbon area and was a graduate of Tippecanoe High School.

He served in the United States Army from Oct. 18, 1945 until March 24, 1947. He was a member of the Bourbon American Legion No. 424.

He had worked in his earlier years as owner of Bourbon Silo Company and began a burial vault business, and continued working in the excavation field, co-owning his own excavating company with his friend Jerry Koontz, Koontz and King Excavating until he retired. He was a bus driver for Triton School Corporation, was a volunteer fireman for Bourbon Fire Department for many years and he was the township grave digger for many years taking pride in caring for every family.

Charlie wintered in Sebring, Fla., until the past few years and was a member of the Bourbon First United Methodist Church. One thing Charlie also loved to do was to continuously travel around and checkout the farmer’s crops to make sure it was to his satisfaction. NASCAR racing was also a pastime Charlie could enjoy when the weather wasn’t suitable for him to be out.

Charlie married Jeanette “Jean” Hall, Jan. 19, 1950; she passed away July 15, 1983. He then married Faye Heckaman, Feb. 1, 1985; she passed away Sept. 16, 2013.

He is survived by his daughter, Chris Boyer of Bourbon; daughter-in-law, Shelly King of Mentone; three grandchildren: Chad and Sylvia King of Plymouth, Kim Linsner of Warsaw and Laurie and Kenny Johnson of Bourbon and seven great-grandchildren: Tiffany, Michelle, Gavin, Leigh-Taylor, Mace, Bruce and Layla.

He was preceded in death by his spouses and a son, Michael King in 2011, two sisters: Irene and Isabelle and one brother, Tom.

You are invited to celebrate Charlie’s life with family and friends from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, at Deaton-Clemens Funeral Home, 115 S. Main St. Bourbon. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in the funeral home with Pastor Rod Ruberg of officiating.

Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Bourbon, with Military honor by the Bourbon American Legion.
The family asks that memorial contributions made in his memory be the charity of the donor’s choice.