Charles H. King III

CHARLES H. KING, III (Chuck) of Chagrin Falls, Ohio and Frankfort, Michigan, passed away peacefully on January 20, 2018 at the age of 94. "Isn't this great?" he would say with joy in his eyes and a huge smile on his face whenever he did one of his favorite things, gather with family and friends. Chuck valued education, hard work, time spent with family (especially his three sons), the great outdoors, faith and gratitude. He loved people and will forever be remembered for the enthusiasm, big smile and warm greeting he had for everyone with whom he interacted. Born December 27, 1923, to Eleanor Jackson and Charles H. King II, he grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio where he met Elaine, his future bride of 74 years, in high school German class. Summers during high school were spent working on the Barnes family farm near Deshler, Ohio. With an interest in the farming industry sparked, he attended Rutgers University which, at the time, was primarily an agricultural school.

World War II changed his course and, in 1944, Chuck enlisted in the U.S. Navy, trained at the Great Lakes Naval Base then shipped out to the Pacific Theater as a Chief Petty Officer aboard the USS Purdy. During the Battle of Okinawa, the Purdy was besieged by waves of Kamikazes flying out of the sun and was hit by one such plane causing devastating loss of life. The disabled Purdy was returned to Long Beach. The war in the Pacific ended shortly thereafter and Chuck returned to Rutgers with Elaine and their young son.

Upon graduation in 1948, he began a forty year, highly successful career with Standard Oil of Ohio and British Petroleum, starting at the #1 refinery in Cleveland’s industrial flats while he also attended night law school at John Marshall. After passing the Ohio Bar in 1953, his executive career at Sohio began in Labor Relations and then transitioned into a lengthy career in marketing. In 1962, he transferred from Cleveland to Toledo and continued to work his way up the ladder. When Standard Oil and British Petroleum North America merged in 1972, Chuck moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he served as the Chief Executive of BP, NA. He moved the headquarters to Wilmington, Delaware and remained there until returning to Cleveland as Sohio’s Sr. Vice President of Marketing and Refining, retiring in 1986. Exemplifying his love of people, he quietly invested himself fully in various charitable endeavors. He served on Cleveland’s Child Welfare Board and began a Sohio sponsored minority mentoring program. In Toledo, he made Sohio the primary proponent of the Junior Achievement Program. Thereafter the Salvation Army became a principal calling where he served as a Board Member in both Cleveland and in Naples, Florida. Chuck and Elaine cherished summers spent with family and friends at Crystal Lake, in Frankfort, Michigan; a love and tradition that continues into the fifth generation. Most of the time you’d find him outside on the boat, playing golf or tending to his roses. He served as President of the Board of Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital for several years, raising and maintaining funding to keep the hospital vital. He loved the annual fishing trip to French River, Ontario, with his sons, grandsons, great grandsons and the occasional granddaughter. An inveterate waterfowl hunter, Chuck was a 40- year member of the Ottawa Shooting Club on the Lake Erie shore near Port Clinton, Ohio. Even at 90 years of age, he simply couldn’t allow this wonderful chapter of his life to close, gearing up and sharing a duck blind with his loved ones. Chuck was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Elaine W. King. He is survived by sons: Charles H. King, IV, (Patricia); Steven W. King, (Meg); Douglas A. King, Sr.; and daughter-in-law Melissa King. “Grampy” is also survived by his grandchildren: Charles H. King, V and Amy King Schindler, (Edward); Ryan and Alexis King; Douglas King, Jr. and Abbey King Mueller, (Nathan). His life was enriched by eight adoring great grandchildren: Charles H.(Chase) King, VI, Jon and Brett King; Coleman, Peyton and Walker Schindler; Sadie and Nathan Mueller. A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at the Federated Church, 76 Bell Street, Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Chuck would be honored by donations being made to Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital Foundation, 224 Park Ave., Frankfort, MI 49635 or Federated Church, 76 Bell St Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 Arrangements by Stroud-Lawrence Funeral Home Chagrin Falls, OH. www.stroudlawrence.com

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