James V. King, 64, passed away at 5:55 p.m. Saturday, April 27, 2013, at Good Samaritan Regional Health Center in Mt. Vernon.

Jim was born May 27, 1948, in Herrin, the son of John and Florene King. He married Kathy Cockrum King on June 29, 1984.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy, Benton; two sons and one daughter, James Everett King and wife Devan, West Frankfort, Joseph Patrick King, at home, and Kelli Elizabeth King and fiancé, Darin Modglin, West Frankfort; three grandchildren, Kaela, Owen and Jovie; one brother, Rick and wife, Connie King, Clarksville, Tenn.; a niece, Leslie Bepristis and a nephew, Jonathan King, both of Tennessee.

Jim was a 1966 graduate of Frankfort Community High School in West Frankfort and attended Mt. Vernon Community College in Ina before joining the U.S. Marine Corps.

He was a veteran of the Vietnam War. While serving in Vietnam and flying with the Purple Foxes HMM-364 as an aerial gunner aboard a CH-46 helicopter, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with combat "V," the Navy Commendation medal with combat "V," Combat action ribbon, the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation with a palm, Vietnam Service Medal with two campaign medals and Combat Air Crew Insignia with three campaign medals.

After discharge from his beloved Marine Corps, he received an associate degree in electrical engineering from Southern Technical Institute in Atlanta, Ga. He then finished his electrical engineer degree at Southern Illinois University. He earned his master's degree in education from the University of Illinois in January 2013. Jim was honored by University of Illinois College of Education in April as a Life Long Learning Scholar.

He was employed by Old Ben Coal as an electrical engineer and Lafarge Corporation as maintenance engineer. He retired from the Marion Veterans Administration Medical Center.

After retirement, he began teaching at Rend Lake College, where he discovered that teaching was his calling. He loved teaching and dearly loved his coworkers at Rend Lake College.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, John and Florene King; and one brother, Pete King.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at the Hobbs-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in Benton. Masonic rites will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home followed by a memorial service with Pastor Sammy Simmons officiating. Military honors will be performed by the U.S. Marine Corps Honor Guard following the service. His wishes were to be cremated.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Jim King Memorial Scholarship, Rend Lake College Foundation, 468 N. Ken Gray Pkwy, Ina, IL 62846.