Thomas King Jr.

Thomas King Jr. was born on July 30, 1945, in Hawkinsville, GA to the late Thomas and Corine (Hughes) King. He was the third born of six children who blessed this union. He was preceded in death by all five of his siblings, Cora Bell, Ernest, Richard, Diane, and Charles. Thomas was also preceded in death by his parents, his paternal grandparents, Office and Ada King, as well as his maternal grandparents Oliver and Rosie (Maccolson) Hughes.

Thomas was nine years old when his family moved to Hamilton, Ohio. He was a very active child who enjoyed physical activity. After proving himself to be an outstanding athlete with a passion for track and basketball, Thomas graduated from Garfield Senior High School in June of 1965. The following year in April of 1966, he courageously joined the United States Airforce during the height of the Vietnam War serving as hospital staff. While in the Airforce, he was a standout player on the intramural basketball team, leading them to many victories, including a league championship. He shared many memories of this time of service, often reminiscing about the highly competitive racquetball games that he and his friends played. His service with the United States Airforce ended in January of 1972 when he was honorably discharged as a Sargent.

Thomas’ love for physical activity and competitive nature persisted throughout his life. Not only was he a master Bid Whist player, but he was also an outstanding league bowler who consistently earned the anchor man position on the team. To him, it felt like being the anchor leg of a track and field relay- when the pressure was on, and the score was close, his teammates knew that Thomas would surely rise to the occasion and secure the win.

Thomas was also a skilled tradesman who repaired machinery. He worked for S.O.S. Steele plant, formerly located in Middletown, retiring as a supervisor after 35 years of service. He also had a love for cars and motorcycles, especially fast ones. This passion partnered with his training in building and maintaining machinery sparked a new hobby- auto mechanics. In retirement, he began to build a replica of a 1929 Ford Model A car with his own two hands!

In October of 1999, Thomas met and fell in love with the wife that he leaves behind, Deborah. They married in December of 2000. To this union, he brought two beloved children from a previous marriage, Latonya Yvette King, and Bryan Darrell King, and four grandchildren Carissa, Angela, Alina, and Amari(great). Through this marriage, Thomas gained three beloved daughters—DaVonya, Nikida, and Trivia—and two sons-in-law, Sean and Damian, all of whom affectionately referred to him as “Pa King.” This extended family also included five grandchildren, Phillip, Emry, Amira, Kennedy, Nia, and Aeden (great) who knew him as “Grandpa T.”

Thomas was a man who believed in God; His faith inspired him to live life to the fullest. Although he is gone, his wisdom and love will leave an everlasting impact. He is survived by his wife, five children, eight grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. He will truly be missed. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Services for Thomas will be held on Thursday May 21st, 2026, at Rose Hill Funeral Home 2565 Princeton Rd Hamilton, OH 45011. Visitation will begin at 10am followed by Service at 11am.