Alvin Harry “Butch” King, 74

Alvin Harry “Butch” King was born December 6th, 1946 in Clarksdale, MS to the late Alvin Hilliard King and Juanita Alford King. He died February 12th, 2021 at the age 74.

Although Al had Polio as a small child and wore a leg brace, he played trumpet in the marching band all through high school and college at Mississippi State University. He played nearly 20 years in the orchestra at First Baptist Church, Bradenton, FL. He coached T-Ball and soccer, rode motorcycles, enjoyed golfing, swimming and boating, went skydiving and marked a helicopter ride over Hoover Dam, and a hot air balloon ride off of his bucket list. He loved big band and southern gospel music. He was a member of Lake Morton Community Church in Lakeland.

After graduating from Clarksdale-Coahoma High School in Clarksdale, Mississippi, he earned his BS in marketing, M.Ed in rehabilitation counseling and MBA, all from Mississippi State University in Jackson, MS. He was a lifelong MSU sports fan, displaying Bulldog memorabilia all over the house.

Al worked as an examiner at Social Security Disability Claims Office, Zerox, and the Educational Finance Commission, all in Jackson, MS, legal administrator for law firms in Jackson, MS and Bradenton, FL, moving to Florida in 1987, and retired as administrator for Outpatient Physical Therapy – Manatee Memorial Hospital, Bradenton. He moved to Lakeland, FL in 2006.

He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Susan Claire Glover King; son, Micah Clark King; granddaughter, Megan Elizabeth Kotlarczyk; sister, Bobbye Jeanne Shiel; nephews, Geoffrey and Vernon Joseph Nicholas. Survivors include his wife, Judith Irwin Goodrich King of Lakeland; former wife Melinda Majors Palmer of Bradenton; son, William David King (Kelly) of Florida; daughters, Shanna Elizabeth Kotlarczyk (Ziggy) of Parrish, FL, and Laura Rachelle Adkins (Mike) of Fort Worth, TX; Nikki King of Franklin, TN; grandchildren, Will, Drew, Abigail Claire and Joshua King of Franklin, TN, Benjamin King of Florida, Alex and Mateo Diaz and Jakob Adkins of Fort Worth, Kasen Kotlarczyk of Parrish, and Charlotte Gardner of Florida; nephew, Chris Nicholas of Cookeville, TN; and niece, Charmaine Harding of Palmdale, CA.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the family’s convenience. Condolences may be sent to the family at Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes.