Raleigh King

Raleigh W. King Jr., 86, of Eldora, died from the effects of Parkinson’s disease and heart disease on August 28, 2008 at the Eldora Nursing and Rehab Center in Eldora. Funeral services will be at 10:30 am, Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at the Eldora United Methodist Church with Pastor Richard Boatman officiating. Burial will follow in the Eldora City Cemetery with military honors provided by Walter-Sayer Post 182 of the American Legion and Roll-Harless Post 3974 of the VFW. Visitation is from 6 pm to 8 pm on Monday at Creps-Abels Funeral Home in Eldora.

Raleigh was born December 20, 1921 near Burdette, Iowa, son of Raleigh Sr. and Anna (Thomas) King, but lived most of his life in Eldora, graduating from Eldora High School in 1940. He was united in marriage to Mardelle Garrett in 1942. From September 1942 until August 1945 Raleigh served during WWII as a B24 pilot with the 450 ^th Bomber Group, stationed in Italy. He returned to Eldora to continue operating King Oil Co. with his father, retiring in1984 after 42 years of business.

He had been a member of the Eldora United Methodist Church since 1935, a longtime member of Walter-Sayer Post 182 of the American Legion and Roll-Harless Post 3974 of the VFW, and served in the Marshalltown Air Force Reserves for many years.

Surviving is his wife, Mardelle; daughters, Susan (Ed) Bear of Steamboat Rock and Peggy Farrell of Eldora; Grandchildren, Lyn (Rick) Davidson of Bloomfield and Tami (Paul) Williams of Steamboat Rock; great grandchildren, Nick Davidson, Cody Davidson, Ashlea Brouwer, Austin Brouwer, and Colton Brouwer. He was preceded in death by and infant daughter, Celia and a sister, Vivian Fitz Faris of California.