Fred King, 88, of Westminster Woods in Huntingdon, PA, and formerly of Hillsdale, PA, died on Friday, April 14, 2017 at his home. Born on January 29, 1929 in Wilkinsburg, PA to Sarah Lucretia (Blose) King and Thomas Davis King, both deceased, he was raised in northern Indiana County.
Upon graduation from Clymer High School in 1946, Fred earned both a B.S. and M.S. degree from the Pennsylvania State University in Agriculture Education. He was a member of the Delta Theta Sigma fraternity.
In 1950 Fred married Nancy Louise Mendenhall, who died in 1990. He is survived by five children: Karen Lee King of Mechanicsburg, PA, John F. King, Jr. (Gail Louise King) of Mechanicsburg, PA, Linda Marie Dixon (James Dixon) of Arden, NC, Gail Louise Hoskins (Geffery Hoskins) of Bonaire, GA, and Gretchen Leah Klick (Robert Klick) of Mechanicsburg, PA. In addition, he is survived by thirteen grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
His siblings are Thomas Blose King deceased, William R. King deceased, Carol Ann Smith of Hamilton, OH, and James E. King, who died in infancy.
Fred’s professional career started in 1951 as a Vo Ag teacher in Bel Air, MD. In 1952 he accepted the Vo Ag teaching position at Montgomery Township High School in Arcadia, PA. He taught there until a merger of school districts, and the opening of the (then) new Purchase Line High School in 1954. Fred taught at Purchase Line until 1963 when he took a leave-of-absence, and returned to Penn State to do his graduate work.
After receiving his M.S. in 1964, Fred accepted a position with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Harrisburg, with the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS). In 1966 he went to Washington, D.C., on the ASCS National Training Staff. In the following years, he spent time in the USDA Office of Personnel, conducting Departmental training programs, and in the Secretary of Agriculture’s Office, as acting Deputy Secretary of the USDA, working on Civil Rights programs.
In 1976, (then) USDA Secretary Robert Bergland appointed Fred as the State Director of the Farmers Home Administration for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He served in that position until 1980. In 1984, Governor Robert P. Casey appointed Fred as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in the Pennsylvania State Department of Agriculture. He retired from that position in March 1991.
After retiring, Fred’s passions were hunting, fishing and working on gourd art. He was also passionate about Penn State wrestling, and was a loyal member of the Penn State Wrestling Club.
Family and friends will be received from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Monday, April 17, 2017 at the Rairigh Funeral Home, Ltd. in Hillsdale, PA, where a 1:00 p.m. funeral service will take place on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. Fred’s funeral service will be officiated by the Rev. Christy Dowdy, the minister of the Stone Church of the Brethren located on the Juniata College campus in Huntingdon, PA, where Fred had been attending for the last three years since moving to Westminster Woods. Interment will follow at the Rowley Cemetery in Hillsdale, PA, where he will be laid to rest beside his beloved wife, Nancy.
