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Clarence E. King Jr.
Lifelong East Hampton resident Clarence E. King, Jr. died on November 6 at his home. Known fondly as “Kelly,” he was 89.
Born May 25, 1921, to Elizabeth and Clarence E. King of East Hampton, when he was only 13 years old, he walked to Gardiners Island with his father and grandfather and a few other East Hampton men.
Later, Mr. King attended East Hampton High School and was a U.S. Coast Guard reservist, serving from 1942 to 1945 at Stratford Shoals Lighthouse in Long Island Sound. He married Emma Mae Miller on February 20, 1943.
He also worked part-time on Gardiners Island during the hunting season from 1948 to 1952 with his mother and stepfather, Charles Raynor. In 1948, Mr. King began C.E. King & Sons Inc., a custom canvas awning and marine canvas business in Springs. His children took over the business upon his retirement in 1990. Two grandsons also work for the business, and two other grandsons worked with the business in the past before moving to other occupations.
Mr. King was honored in May 2001 as a member of the Lost Tribe of Accabonac. He was also an acolyte at St. Luke Episcopal Church in East Hampton from 1935 until 1942. He was also on the boards for the East Hampton Boy Scouts and Little League in the 1950s; he served as chairman of the East End March of Dimes; was a member and past president of the Springs Village Improvement Society and the Springs Historical Association. In addition, he was an exempt member of the Springs Fire Department and Springs Fire Department Benevolent Association from October 1965 until August 1995.
For Mr. King, the television show “Jeopardy” was a nightly event. He also loved to square dance and did so every Saturday night at Ashawagh Hall in the 1950s and 1960s.
He was also an avid photographer and always had a camera with him. He took many photographs of Springs and East Hampton.
Family said that Mr. King was a kind and loving husband and family man who loved his community. He is survived by a daughter, Deanna Tikkanen of East Hampton; two sons, Clarence E. King III and David M. King, both of East Hampton; a sister, Dorothy T. King of East Hampton; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife of 62 years in 2005 and a sister, Alice Bell Field.
Visitation was on November 8 at Yardley & Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton, followed by a prayer service on November 9. Interment was at Green River Cemetery in Springs.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Springs Fire Department Benevolent Association, 179 Fort Pond Boulevard, East Hampton, NY 11937 would be appreciated by the family.
on Nov 9, 2010