William Andrew King

William A. King was born September 17, 1921, to Anna and Andrew King of Windber, Pennsylvania. The eldest of four sons -- Bill, Paul, Richard, and Stephen -- Bill apprenticed early in life as a butcher; it would be the beginnings of a career that would last in one form or another into his 80s. His apprenticeship was cut short by the start of World War II, however. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Bill enlisted in the United States Navy and served with distinction as a cook and a gunner on PT Boat 308 in the European (Mediterranean Sea) and Pacific Theaters. Petty Officer First Class King also assisted on missions for the OSS, the wartime precursor to the CIA.

Bill and his sweetheart, Irene Pynnonen, met at a USO event in Chicago, Illinois, and it was very much an “across a crowded room” moment. They fell in love nearly at first sight but waited until after the war to wed. Their wedding, like many things in their lives together, was both planned as well as spontaneous. For while Irene’s bridesmaids came from her closest friends, Bill gathered his groomsmen by calling out into the Navy barracks, “Hey, boys! Who wants to go to a party?!” Bill and Irene married on February 25, 1945, and quickly settled into married life in post-War America. They raised two children, William Warren and Kathleen Anne, in Chicago, and Bill took a job with the Jewel Tea Company as a butcher. He eventually worked his way up to regional manager, a position he held until his retirement in 1974.

Bill and Irene moved from Chicago to Estes Park, Colorado with the intent to settle into a comfortable and quiet retirement, but Bill was lured back into the meat-cutting business by Ron Brodie and was soon manning the meat counter at Brodie’s Market, endearing himself to the people of Estes Park with his knowledge of food and an engaging personality. A gifted and prolific story-teller, any strangers who found themselves at Bill’s counter would leave, order in hand, as anything but a stranger. But being a butcher again wasn’t enough to keep Bill occupied in his “retirement,” and before long he and Irene found themselves taking on a new venture as the owners/operators of the popular and highly successful King’s Royal Catering, a business they ran for nearly 15 years with the assistance of their children and grandchildren who followed Bill and Irene to Colorado. During these years, Bill was an active member in the American Legion (Post 119) serving both as Commander and Chaplain, the Estes Park Kiwanis and Elks Clubs, and as a member of The Knights of the Belt Buckle.

Eventually, however, actual retirement for the pair came about, and both Brodie’s and King’s Royal Catering were left behind. While Irene chose to largely focus her attention on their family, Bill continued to engage with the people of Estes Park, both old and young. He was instrumental in bringing about the Breakfast Buddies program at Estes Park Elementary -- which paired up young students with retiree mentors who provided advice and support for their young charges while sharing breakfast together -- and he delivered for Meals on Wheels, providing hot meals to those in need. He was also extremely active as a parishioner of Our Lady of the Mountain’s Catholic Church. A member of The Knights of Columbus (Fourth Degree), Bill often dressed as St. Nicholas and passed out gifts to children at Christmas, he served as an usher at Our Lady into his 90s, and made thousands of hand-crafted rosaries that were sent to Catholic churches and parishes around the world. Though it has been decades since the War, Bill remained focused on the United States Navy and to military service people. His work as a member of the Honor Flight of Northern Colorado fundraising committee helped ensure that as many former military service people as possible could experience traveling to Washington D.C. to visit the various military memorials the city has to offer.

Bill was, as ever, devoted to his Irene, and through his dedicated care, ensured that she would be able to stay in their house on the mountain until her final days. “It was the best job I ever had,” he often said about being her caregiver. After Irene’s passing in 2014, Bill -- known as Poppa to his family -- would sit on his sofa in his living room in Carriage Hills, making rosaries, gazing out at his beloved Mummy range and reflecting on their 69 years together.

Bill passed away on August 25, 2018, only three weeks shy of his 97th birthday. His nearly 100 years were among the greatest periods of change for the world, and Bill was always aware, appreciative, and introspective about those changes and what they meant for his family and for humanity as a whole. William A. King is survived by his son Bill King and his wife, Mary; daughter Kathy Steinbach and her husband, Tom; grandchildren Sarah Steinbach-Ball and her husband, Randy; Julia King-Robles and her husband, Jesse; Laura King-Miller and her husband, Mike; Rebecca Steinbach-VanGorden and her husband, Schuyler; Andrea Campos and her husband, Ernesto; and Erika Duemig. Bill was blessed with six great-grandchildren: Randy and Jason Miller; Jacqueline and Antonio Campos; and Aerial and Carson Duemig as well as two great-great-grandchildren, Shaylin and Rylan Miller.

Bill leaves behind a true legacy of love and family and friends, and though he has been reunited with his dear Irene, he will be greatly missed by those who remain behind.

Services for Bill will be held on Saturday, October 13, 2018, at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church located at 920 Big Thompson Ave, Estes Park, CO, 80517. The Rosary will be said at 10:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m.

Donations to the World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana in the name of William A. King can be made in care of Allnutt Funeral Home, 1302 Graves Ave, Estes Park, Colorado.