2024ObituariesEarl “Willdee” Willis King Sr.

Earl “Willdee” Willis King Sr., 73, passed away peacefully December 30th at home, with family after a long struggle with Parkinson’s.  He was born September 21, 1951 in Little Rock, Arkansas to Amedee Young King Sr. and Mary Lucille Rutledge King, the baby boy of their six children. The family later settled in Watson, LA, where Earl and his siblings grew up. He loved telling and retelling stories of their childhood.  His family loved hearing them, even if it was the millionth time we heard of the paint fight and getting cleaned up with Brillo pads.

Earl’s first jobs were working the paddleboats and slide at Thunderbird Beach and the counter at Frostop in Denham Springs.  Although his dream of becoming an x-ray technician was never realized, he proudly served his country six years in the HHC 769^th Engineer Battalion of the Louisiana National Guard. The remainder of his career was spent in retail.

In September of 1970, he married his first wife, Patricia Clark, and soon found himself the father of two children.  Even though two was a far cry from the 20 he had aspired to having as boy, Earl soon realized two children were plenty.  Through the years, he instilled in them the importance of always doing your best, getting an education, and being able to take care of yourself.

In November 1993, he married his second wife, Patricia Craven, and gained another daughter as well.  Since their children were already grown and gone, the two of them had lots of time to spend doing things they enjoyed like taking road trips, going camping, and searching for treasure, at Saturday morning garage sales.  When they weren’t on the go, you might find them surfing the internet, watching favorite shows, sitting on the porch together, or spending time with family.  As grandchildren came, Earl poured himself into their lives, hoping to make them realize just how important they were to him whether that meant hours baking in the bleachers or circling around, arms outstretched, pretending to be a beautiful butterfly flying through the yard.

Now our beautiful butterfly has gone away.  Those of us left behind will miss his goofy sense of humor, his willingness to do anything to make you smile, being able to count on him to be there with an ear to  listen or a shoulder to cry on.     We will long to see sparkle in his blue eyes, to feel his hugs, and to spend time listening to his stories of childhood, time in the guard, about close family and yes, even the ones about far flung relatives we will never know aside from his memories of them.

Earl was preceded in death by his parents, Amedee and Lucille King; brother, John Patrick King; daughter: Debbie Craven; and Father-In-Law, Hubert Carter.  He is survived by his spouse: Patricia Craven King, two children: Earl King Jr and spouse Christy King, Angela Lear and her spouse Curtis Lear,  by his grandchildren: Trey King and spouse Savannah, Jasmine Dendy and spouse Dylan, Hunter King, Heather Holloway, Corey Smith and spouse Haley, Chase Smith and spouse Jayme and his great-grandchildren: Brently Dendy, Brynley Smith, and Bailey Smith; sisters Helen Hebert, Ellen Hoas, and Ruth Grimmer; brother:  Amedee “Jim” (Gwen) King Jr,  as well as numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at Seale Funeral Home in Denham Springs, LA, on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 with visitation from 10am to 12pm followed by the service at 12.