| Sources |
- [S76] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume III, 1974-1986, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 11 Jun 1978.
Tommy Lawrence King obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 2 Sep 2015.
King receives John Sevier Award
JASON DAVIS Sep 2, 2015
SEVIERVILLE — “There’s not many days that go by that somebody doesn’t come by and tell me about the impact that Johnny had on their life,” Karen King said Wednesday afternoon.
For the 39 years prior to the longtime Sevier County Property Assessor’s death, King’s biggest impact was the one he had on his wife, Karen, and the couple’s two sons, Thomas Paul King and John David King.
That’s why Tuesday night’s announcement that Johnny was the recipient of the 2014-15 John Sevier Award, bestowed by the Sevier County Chamber of Commerce, was so special.
“I was honored, and Johnny would have been honored,” Karen said.
King died last October after a long battle with cancer. Despite the illness, he never lost his winning smile and positive attitude.
That upbeat attitude won him many fans. In addition to winning re-election year after year, he was a perennial favorite as the most popular elected official in The Mountain Press’s Readers’ Choice awards. He was the winner in the latest poll, released last October.
It’s the kind of popularity not necessarily common in a property assessor, whose only direct interaction with the public often comes when they’re unhappy about an increased assessment that will leave them paying more taxes in the future.
King, speaking to The Mountain Press after winning the Reader’s Choice award in 2010, said he tried to treat everybody with respect.
“I try to be fair to people, no matter if they live in a fancy mansion or in a little house,” he said. “I hope they appreciate that about me and that’s why they chose me. I’ve tried to do that ever since I was elected.”
Karen King learned of her husband’s selection for the John Sevier Award, presented posthumously to citizens that have contributed greatly to the city of Sevierville, a few weeks ago.
“Brenda (McCroskey, CEO of the Chamber) called me about a month ago and told me that Johnny had been chosen to get the John Sevier Award,” King said. “He was Johnny to me, he was my husband, but if you knew him, he was the kind of person, that he made just made your life better.
“He was never idle,” she said. “He was busy at work, he was busy at church, he was busy at home.”
Sevierville Mayor Bryan Atchley announced the award at the chamber banquet Tuesday night.
“It’s a bittersweet award,” Atchley said. “It’s bitter because we lost someone we all loved. It’s sweet, because tonight we can remember them.
“I have never known a person like Johnny King,” he continued. “You could walk into his office, or see him downtown or at church, and there’s no way you couldn’t walk away feeling better. I don’t know whether it was his smile ... I (think) it was his eyes. His eyes shined when he talked.
“(It’s) really bitter, because we lost him way too early. He was a beacon in this community.”
Atchley shared a story of working First Baptist Sevierville’s parking lot patrol in a golf cart with King after his illness began.
“When Johnny got sick ... we would talk about what I had gone through, and what he was going through,” Atchley, himself a cancer survivor, said. “He never lost his faith. He never lost his belief that he could possibly make it, if it was God’s will.
“One of the best things Johnny King ever did for this community was leave behind a loving wife, and two very, very good sons.
“Tonight we honor Johnny King, our friend ... thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Staff writer Jeff Farrell contributed to this report.
- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 19 Oct 2014.
August 28, 1949 - October 19, 2014
Resided in Sevierville, TN
Johnny David King went to be with his Lord, Sunday morning October 19, 2014.
Johnny grew up in King Hollow and met the Lord at Laurel Branch Baptist Church as a young man. He loved the Lord, his family, friends, Sevier County and its people. He worked hard and was an honest man, who believed in treating everyone fairly and was the best earthly friend a person could have. He could bring a smile to the most hardened face and make you feel better about life no matter what your situation if you gave him the opportunity.
Johnny D. King was elected Sevier County's Property Assessor in 1992. He was a member of the Tennessee Property Assessors and East Tennessee Property Assessors Associations. He served on the Board of Directors for Tennessee State Bank and was Senior Vice President before being elected to public office. Johnny served on many boards during his lifetime.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Sevierville where he had served as trustee. The service he was most honored to perform was working in the parking lot on Sunday mornings and greeting people as they came to worship.
Johnny also loved the hard work of farming, raising cattle and hay, and gardening. He was not an idle man. He was a good husband, father, brother, uncle, neighbor and friend. He lived and shared his faith and the Johnny King stories will pass down for generations to come.
He was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Bess King. His brothers Homer, Tommy, Bob and Ben King
Johnny is survived by his beloved wife of 39 years Karen R. King, and sons John David and Pepper Bobo, and Thomas Paul and wife Danielle; sister, Stella Caughron and Harold; his sisters-in-law Carolyn King, Judy King, Cindy and Danny Myers, Pinnacle N.C., brothers-in- law Dennis and Anna Rumley, Rural Hall, N.C., and mother-in-law Iris Rumley, King, N.C. Johnny is also survived by his much loved nieces and nephews, Beverly, Christie, Barbara, Belinda, Beth, Angie, Mandy, Brent, Brandon and their families.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the First Baptist Church of Sevierville's Television Ministry, 317 Parkway, Sevierville, TN 37862.
Funeral service 1 PM Wednesday, October 22nd at First Baptist Church, Sevierville with Rev. Dan Spencer and Rev. Ed Parton officiating. Eulogies will be given by Rich Wallace and Larry Waters. Interment will follow in Smoky Mountain Memory Gardens. Pallbearers will be Dustin Huffaker, Rex Henry Ogle, Craig Faulkner, Andy Farmer, Chuck Frost and Jeff Sims. Honorary pallbearers will be Richard Davis, Doran "Gube" Huskey, the Sevier County Property Assessors Office and Equalization Board and the Tennessee State Bank Board of Directors. The family will receive friends 12-7 PM Tuesday October 21st at the church. Arrangements by Atchley Funeral Home, Sevierville.
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