Foreign Service officer, died on September16, 2005 at Washington Adventist Hospitalin Takoma Park, Maryland, of cardiovascular disease. Mr. King was born in Los Angeles, California on December 28, 1917, and attended South Pasadena High School and Occidental College. He joined the army before graduating from college, and served as a U.S.Army infantry officer from 1940 to 1960, when he retired as a lieutenant colonel. Mr. King served in World War II, spending 39 months in theSouth Pacific, and the Korean War. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster and Valor Device, a Purple Heart, a Combat Infantryman’s Badge and the Master Paratrooper Badge.

In 1960, Mr. King joined the State Department as a Foreign Service reserve officer. He served for nine years as assistant chief and then as deputy chief of the Protocol Office. During this period he traveled widely in the U.S. with foreign heads of state such as the kings and queens of Afghanistan and Thailand. He also assisted in the planning of John F. Kennedy’s funeral. From 1969 until he retired in 1980, Mr. King served as a personnel officer at State. Mr. King was an honorary member of the U.S. Army Band, the Nation’s Capitol Jaguar Owners Club, the Pentagon Officers Athletic Club and the Coast Guard Auxiliary. He also did volunteer work with the Palisades Citizens Association. Mr. King is survived by his wife of 60 years, Betty King, and several nieces and nephews.