Harry King

Harry Jerome King, 82, of Cape Girardeau died peacefully Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, at this home after a lengthy illness.

He was born Jan. 9, 1935, in Columbia, Missouri, to Mitchell Shadrick and Harry E. King. He was married to Elizabeth Franz of Ferguson, Missouri, from 1959 to 1979. From that union, they had three children together. He then married Paula Smith in 1980. She preceded him in death in March 2011.

Survivors include two daughters, Elizabeth King Becher and Harriet King; and a son and daughter-in-law, Kurt and Tracy King. He also has two grandchildren, Elizabeth and Christopher Becher.

Harry graduated from Hannibal (Missouri) High School in 1952 and received his Bachelor of Science degree in geology in 1956 from the University of Missouri. He was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He then received his Master of Science degree in geology at St. Louis University in 1960. He finished his education at the University of Missouri at Rolla in 1973, earning a doctorate in geology.

From August 1961 to 1968 he worked for Standard Oil of Texas as a geologist and then worked for one year for Standard Oil of LaHabra, California.

Harry was a professor of geology from 1968-1974 at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. He and his family then moved to Casper, Wyoming, in 1974, where he worked for Conoco Oil Corporation as a geologist until 1980. He moved to Houston, Texas, at that time and continued working for ConocoPhillips until 1992 as director of acquisitions in Europe.

He retired in 1992 in Cape Girardeau.

Harry was a U.S. Army veteran. He also participated locally in Project Impact on behalf of the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

He enjoyed traveling, reading, hunting, nature, history, gardening and studying foreign languages.

The family is being served by Ford and Sons Funeral Home.

The family will hold a private service at a later date.