Darrell M. King

KING – Darrell Marr, passed away May 30, 2017 one day shy of his 92nd birthday. He was a Jenks native born on May 31, 1925. He was the son of early Jenks Pioneers “Barber” Roger R. and Virginia F. King.
He graduated from Jenks High School in 1943 joined the Merchant Marines and served during WWII. After the war, he joined Pan American Petroleum and worked in Tulsa until 1949. He transferred to Texas with the company until 1951 and then served in the Korean War in the U.S. Army until 1953 as an automotive mechanic. He completed his military service in the Army Reserve in 1956.
He married Dolores Jean Hughes in August 1953. They raised their children Vicki, Rick and David in the house he built on 3rd Street over 62 years ago - just two blocks away from the house where he was born.
Pan American merged into Amoco Petroleum and after Korean War he returned to work for the company as a Stationery Engineer. He left the company for a three-year interruption to work at American Airlines Maintenance but returned to Amoco as Supervisor of Maintenance and Facilities and retired in 1987 after a combined total of over 30 years of service. Concurrent with his Amoco job, he also ran King’s Refrigeration servicing local heating and air conditioning units for residential and small business customers.
He was member of the Jenks Jaycees and served on the Jenks Public Schools Board for over ten years. He was an avid St. Louis Cardinal fan and rarely missed a Jenks Trojan football game - following his Trojans in the stands or on the radio. He was known to play a round of golf or two during his very infrequent times off work.
He was a self-taught machinist and built over 30 working model steam and internal combustion engines attending steam shows in Pawnee, Catoosa, Caney, KS and Republic, MO. He worked in the shop he built in his backyard almost every day and was happiest when he was working on a new project or keeping up his lawn.
In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Dolores “Dodi” King, brothers Billy R., Jack E. and his sister Elizabeth N. (Patterson).
In addition to his children he is survived by daughter-in-law Roxanne, grandchildren Darrell (and Brandi) Thomas, Carly (Mark) Evans and Alissa King; his great grandchildren Paige and Kylie Thomas, Audrey and Adam Evans. His sister Shirley (Doyle) George and nieces Shirley (Lowell) Erickson, Laurie (Jerry) Robarts and Lisa (Ron) Phillips and nephew Scott (JoEllen) Patterson and their families also survive.
An informal “Come and Go” Celebration of Life will be held in his honor at the First United Methodist Church of Jenks Community Center 415 E Main Street, on Tuesday June 6th from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Refreshments will be served.
Interment will be private at South Heights Cemetery in Sapulpa.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to his memory to the Jenks Public Schools Foundation P.O. Box 595, Jenks, OK 74037 www.jenksfoundation.org.