Rev. William D. King's Obituary
Rev. William D. King, 83, of Clinton, died Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at Mercy Medical Center – North Campus, Clinton.
Memorial Services will be 10:30am, Monday, October 15, 2012 at Zion Lutheran Church, Clinton. Visitation will be Sunday from 2:00-5:00pm at Zion. Burial will be at a later date near their lake cottage at the Hilltop Cemetery in Saxeville, Wisconsin. The Snell-Zornig Funeral Homes & Crematory is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed by visiting his obituary at www.snellzornig.com
William David King was born on January 8, 1929 in Troy, New York, the only child of David and Caren (Schott) King. He graduated from high school at the Lansingburgh High School in 1947 in Troy. He entered Dana College in Blair, Nebraska and graduated with a degree in social service in 1954.
Bill married Joyce Hayek on June 25, 1955 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Hartland, Wisconsin. After graduating from Dana he enrolled in Trinity Seminary at the same campus in Blair. He completed his internship at Bethany Lutheran Church in Portland, Oregon. He moved to Dubuque after the synod merger and graduated from Trinity Seminary located on the Wartburg campus in 1958.
In June of 1958 Bill was ordained in Blair, Nebraska and installed as pastor of Bethesda Lutheran Church in Moorhead, Iowa. In the fall of 1961, Bill accepted the call to Chancy Lutheran Church in Clinton and served there until 1978. Feeling drawn to minister in a different direction, he became chaplain/assistant administrator at the Sarah Harding Home in Clinton, until his retirement in 1993. While at Sarah Harding he was able to do interim ministry and served at Lutheran Church of the Atonement in Clinton, Calvary Lutheran in Sabula, Iowa, and York Community Church in Thomson, Illinois.
Bill served on many boards and committees. He helped with the United Way, Congress of Racial Equality, Women’s Health Services, and even the draft board at one time. He helped form the Clinton Ministerial Association, and was instrumental in creating the hospital chaplaincy corps, eventually securing a fulltime Protestant chaplain at the former Jane Lamb Hospital (now Mercy Medical Center-South Campus). He was active in the Izaak Walton League and was the local president at one time. He is currently a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Clinton. He enjoyed spending time at his year-round cottage near Saxeville, Wisconsin.
Bill is survived by his wife of 57 years: Joyce of Clinton; three daughters: Lisa (Steve) Clarke of Clinton, Jean (Bill) Herrstrom of Madrid, Iowa, and Beth (Steve) Coffey of Indianola, Iowa; five grandchildren: Sara Stiles (Abe Blair), Brent Stiles (Amanda Hedgepath), Emily Coffey, Abigail Coffey, and Spencer Herrstrom; and one great-grandson: Chaz William Blair, and cousins, as well as extended Wisconsin relatives that he considered family. He was preceded in death by his parents.
If you wish to leave a memorial please designate the church or charity of your choice or the Izaak Walton League.
What’s your fondest memory of William?
What’s a lesson you learned from William?
Share a story where William's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with William you’ll never forget.
How did William make you smile?