Mr. Odis O’ Neal King

Published 3:02 pm Thursday, August 8, 2013

Mr. Odis O’ Neal King, 90, of Selma, AL, passed away with his family by his side on August 7, 2013 at Eastside Medical Center in Lawrenceville, GA.

Visitation will be held at Lawrence Brown Service Funeral Home in Selma, AL, on August 9th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The funeral service will be held at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Selma, AL, on August 10th at 10:00 a.m. with Reverend Stephen Hornat officiating. A graveside service will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Jasper, AL, at 4:30 p.m., and Lawrence Brown Service Funeral Home will be handling all funeral arrangements.

Odis King was born on October 6, 1922, in Manchester, AL, to the late John and Ethel King. He graduated from Walker County High School in 1941. While attending business college in Jackson, TN, he co-owned and managed a driving range with his late brother Aubrey King. On September 24, 1942, he voluntarily enlisted in the United States Navy and served as a Y1C on the USS YMS-12, until he was Honorably Discharged on March 4, 1946. For the next thirty years he served as an administrator with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. In 1978, he opened the first of two Mark’s Mart grocery stores, with his wife Clara Nell King. He enjoyed serving their many loyal and valued customers for over thirty-three years. In 2012, he was awarded the Silver Retailer of the Year award by the Alabama Retailers Association. He was a member of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Selma, AL, where he served as a member of the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed being with his family, Alabama football, and playing golf.

Mr. King is preceded in death by his parents, John and Ethel King; his brother and sister, Aubrey and Bertha King; his sisters-in-law, Marjorie King, Beatrice Threadgill, Lillian McCullar, Rita Sartain, and Bernice Patrick; and his brothers-in-law, Dallas Threadgill, Robert Sartain, Francis Patrick, Herbert H. McCullar and James Singleton.

Odis is survived by his wife of sixty two years Clara Nell King; and his five children Linda Haycraft, Gary King, Mark King, Rodney King, Janet Brown and her husband Shawn; his grandchildren, Brian King and his wife Pam, Jacob King, Jason King, William King, Katie Barron and her husband Michael, Scott Brown, Lewis Brown; and his great granddaughter, Alyssa Barron. He is also survived by his brother, Marvin King, and his sisters-in-law, Laura Singleton and Dorothy King, and many loving nieces and nephews.