Edward C. King, Sr.

Edward Codington King peacefully passed away on December 19, 2020, at the age of 97. Edward was a true southern gentleman who lived an exemplary life, a life to be followed by example. As a decorated World War II veteran, he was a member of “The Greatest Generation.”

Edward was born on April 20, 1923, in Wilmington, North Carolina to Washington and Lyla King.

Edward had a long, and loving 52-year marriage with Rosemarie McCreadie, whom he married in August 1949, and with whom he nurtured a loving family. He and his beloved wife Rosemarie had six sons Edward Jr., Kyle, Gary, Wayne, Allen, and Brian, and created a wonderful, full of happiness, nurturing home. Their sons, Edward, Gary, and Allen respectively married three daughters-in-law in Mirtha King, Deborah Murray, and Mary Laughlin.

Edward enlisted in the Navy when he was 18 years old and served in the Pacific Theatre onboard the USS Benevolence as a Navy Medical Corpsman. His passion for helping others within the medical field continued after the war by serving in the Army in multiple medical specialties including earning his wings as a Master Parachutist with the 82nd Airborne Division. He served with continued distinction with assignment to the Army’s Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C. and ended an illustrious military career with over 20 years of service by retiring at the Army’s Environmental Health Agency as a graduate of the Army’s Nuclear Power Program in Edgewood, Maryland.

After retiring from the Army as a Senior Master Sergeant, he continued challenging himself and setting an example for the others as the Branch Manager of Terminix Pest Control in Cocoa, Florida. Edward also earned a retirement with over 10 years of service with the State of Florida and fully retired in 2002. Edward was also especially proud of his affiliation with freemasonry and their common purpose in making this a better world by which to live in by becoming men of character, conviction, and courage. Edward exemplified those traits in serving as the Worshipful Master of his Masonic Lodge in Cocoa, Florida.

Edward left his family with a beautiful legacy, having for a lifetime established an example of dignity, kindness, honesty, fairness, faithfulness, service, and the capacity to love and nurture. He was welcoming and accepting of all. That was how he treated everyone. He lived his values, embracing all. He had a zest for life, made time to tell a funny joke if you were willing to listen, and always had a positive attitude.

Edward was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Rosemarie and his son, Wayne.

Although his passing has left gaping holes in their lives, Edward will live on in the hearts of Mary King, his totally dedicated and loving surviving wife of nine years, beloved remaining sons, daughters-in-law, six wonderful grandchildren: Gary, Tiffany, AJ, Maria, Valerie, and Edward III, and his ten precious great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 30, 2020, at 2:00 pm, at the Faith Lutheran Church in Merritt Island, Florida, followed by burial in Florida Memorial Gardens in Rockledge, Flordia.