George Robertson King
Jan. 17, 1935 - April 9, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008 10:34 AM PDT
New Plymouth
George Robertson King — loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, mule trainer, athlete, dog musher, educator, entrepreneur, nature lover.
George left this life surrounded by his loving family on Wednesday, April 9, 2008.
George was born in Lakeport, Calif., on Jan. 17, 1935, the son of Jesse and Genevieve King. George went through the Middletown and Lakeport schools, graduating from Clear Lake Union High School in 1952. George was a star athlete, especially excelling in basketball. He entered San Jose State College, where he continued playing basketball with an all-star team.
In 1956, he married Margie Lee Neese. He also graduated and completed his master’s degree.
George taught and coached in various schools, including Ukiah, Willits and Lakeport, in California, and Juneau and Noatak, Alaska. (While in Noatak, he put up the first basketball hoop in the Arctic Circle.)
It wasn’t all just teaching for George. One year, George and Margie took their Alaskan sled dogs to Squaw Valley and offered rides on a genuine Eskimo dog sled. Another year, they bought a commercial fishing boat and gill netted for salmon in southeast Alaska.
In the 1970s, he was selected as supervisor of career education for the Boise city schools. He remained in that position for many years. George received numerous accolades and awards for his work in vocational education. Later, he and Margie started their own school in Boise, New Careers. They provided vocational training in computers, cosmetology, restaurant work and other useful areas. Upon selling New Careers, George worked as the executive director of the Alzheimer’s Foundation in the Boise area. Alaska called to him again, and he started work through the University in Fairbanks as director of the Alaska Technical Center in Kotzebue. He was also a principal in New Stuyahok and the director of business education in Dillingham. George always returned to the Boise area, where he was a successful land developer.
George’s first priority and primary focus was always his family. He was very proud of his children, and he was a wonderful role model to them. He was loving, caring and giving. He always put others’ needs above his own.
Being a grandfather was a highlight in life for George. He was the world’s best “Grandad” to Jess, Ryan, Gena, Josh, Olivia, Georgia and Lars. He and Margie made their home a veritable children’s paradise: horses, mules, goats, chickens, bunnies, dogs, cats, a playhouse, toys and 20 acres to explore. He didn’t just provide this for them, he gave them his time and love and attention, always.
George is being mourned deeply by his family: Margie; sons, Brent (Linda) and Gregg (Pam); daughter Cheryl Hoff Beck (Bert); all of his grandchildren listed above; his sister, Joan Cox (Ray); brothers- and sisters-in-law, Ernie and Connie Neese, Bill and Lucille Neese, Richard and Bea Neese, Ethel and Don Schoenberger and Betty and Bob Landau; his uncle Jack Robertson; as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He was loved by all.
“They are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.” — an Eskimo proverb.
A family memoriam will be held in the summer.
