JONESPORT and NORTHPORT – Thomas A. King passed away, after a 7 month battle with cancer, Saturday, March 30, 2013. He was born Oct. 30, 1937, in Boston, the only child of the late Arthur L and Lorna A (Fletcher) King.
He was raised in Needham, Mass., where he attended schools until entering Norfolk Agricultural School, Walpole, Mass., graduating in 1956. He furthered his education attending the University of Maine, Orono, and Thompson School of Agriculture, at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H., where he graduated in 1960. His working career began at H.P. Hood & Sons, Charleston, Mass., as a dairy technologist working there for several years. He was then employed as a food technologist for Stop & Shop in Readville, Mass., and continued on with them in the florist department. In the late 60s he entered a management-training program and became manager of the Brighton, Mass., Stop & Shop, which he ran for five years before retiring to move back to Maine. In 1975 he moved his family permanently to Jonesport, where he and Katherine purchased property and opened and operated T.A. King & Sons for 25 years. Tom was a member of Rotary Club, Jonesport, and a Mason, transferring his Hyde Park Lodge membership to Jonesport Masonic Lodge No. 188, he also served for many years on the Jonesport Ambulance Service. Tom and Katherine retired to Isleboro in 2000 where they had built a small cottage, leaving young Tom to run the business. He transferred his Masonic membership to Island Lodge A.F & A.M No. 89, Isleboro, where he is a lifetime member and was quite active there. After 10 years out on the island, they returned to the mainland in 2010 residing in Northport. He was inducted into Anah Shrine in 2011, and became a member of Waldo County Shrine Club.
Tom leaves behind his wife of 55 years, Katherine M. King; and their son, Thomas G. King and wife, Lisa J., of Jonesport; their daughters, Priscilla J. Floyd and husband, Doug, of Bangor and Christina M. Kneeland and husband, Morgan, of Stetson; five grandchildren, Michael J. King and wife, Elizabeth, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., Justin T. King and partner, Brittany Robinson, of Jonesport, Kylee Suellen Emerson and husband, Michael, of Jonesport, Samantha A. King and partner, Roger Ryan, of Belmont and Nicholas A. Floyd of Bangor; and great-grandson,W. Hunter M. T. Emerson. We are thankful that over the last 43 years, we have made so many friends here in Maine and we thank them for all their prayers, calls and cards during this difficult time. To all our other out of state friends, thank you for all the calls and cards as well.
In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to Oncology Department of Waldo County General Hospital, P.O. Box 287, Belfast, ME 04915. A graveside service will be held in the spring at Hillside Cemetery, Belmont. Arrangements are under the care of Riposta Funeral Home, 182 Waldo Ave. Belfast. www.ripostafh.com.
Thomas A. King
