Montrose - Daily Press

MONTROSE �” Western Slope athletes from the 50’s will remember Fred King as the barber for flat top cuts worth the drive to Montrose. His happy demeanor and knowledge of the area won his position as county assessor in the 60’s. The son of Fred King, Sr. originally from Wishford, England and Fern Fay King, he was raised in Olathe from birth, Nov. 22, 1920, until going to Grand Junction to work at the Mesa College Farm and the King ranch in Glade Park while completing high school, he joined the Navy in 1942. He married Anne Eisaguirre, June 10, 1943, served as a radio operator on ship in the Philippines, completed barber school and returned to Montrose where he raised his daughter, Irene, and son, Terry.

Fred and Anne were active volunteers while raising their children as members of the First Methodist Church where Fred was treasurer. Anne taught Sunday school and started the first Girl Scout troop on the Western Slope in the 50’s, so Fred became the camp “assistant” on many outings. He continued his shortwave radio training by joining the Civil Air Patrol with call Letters K0GEU and studied electronics. An avid outdoorsman, he took his family jeeping and on Sunday drives and hikes to fish and hunt throughout obscure trails on the Western Slope where a favorite joke was to ask passersby, “Is this the road to Olathe?” Fred was always prepared with a water bag and tow strap to lend assistance.

Fred had a wide variety of interests including fly fishing, tying flies and making poles. His dog was trained to hand commands and he joined the Rifle Club with his daughter and took the kids skiing at Dallas Divide. Exploring Indian remains and prospecting was a Sunday activity as was maintaining a beautiful yard and rose garden at the home he had built on Columbia Way. He learned to play harmonica and mandolin by ear from his stepmother, Ella Roberts King, and is remembered as a great jitterbug partner by the Abrahamson nieces, Janet Irvine, Elsie Hopping, Dorothy DeJulio and Carol Fisher. Niece Reba King Morris and many others recall their sons first haircuts were voluntarily cut by Fred, and he frequented the hospital with his haircut equipment.

Fred King Advertisement

He is survived by his sister, Helen Cheek Taylor of Vinita, Okla., and preceded in death by his brother, Reggie King of Denver. His wife, Anne King, lives at Aspen Ridge Assisted Living, 622 28 1/4 Road, in Grand Junction. Daughter Irene and husband Tom Soucek have recently moved to Grand Junction from Alaska. Son Terry of Ft. Lupton has three sons, Erin of Greeley, Brandon of Wichita and Derrick of Wheatridge and one daughter, Kendra of Wheatridge. Her daughter, Somaire, is the first great-granddaughter.

A memorial service will be held at Martin’s Mortuary at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, with interment at 1p.m. at the Veterans Cemetery in Grand Junction.

Comments