James Arthur King left our earth on Monday, Jan. 20, in Tucson, Arizona.
Born in Corvallis, Oregon, to Geraldine and Arthur King, Jim remained in Corvallis, where he graduated from Oregon State University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. While attending the University, Jim met and married the love of his life, Linda Maurine, who stayed by his side for almost 60 years until his last breath — a true love story.
Upon graduating from Oregon State, and after a brief stint in California, Jim and Linda moved to Green River, where Jim worked as a chemical engineer for Stauffer Chemicals. After working for Stauffer for a number of years, Jim played an integral role in designing and, ultimately, bringing into production two of the five soda ash facilities near Green River; at the time named Texas Gulf and Tenneco minerals, respectively, that remain in production to this day. Jim toiled at these soda ash plants for 20 years.
In 1985-86, Jim founded Bonneville Transloaders Inc. with his close friend, Ron, and moved his family to Riverton, where the company thrived, and was at one time the largest employer in Fremont County.
In 1989, Jim was instrumental in bringing the knowledge gained from BTI to the Kemmerer area, transporting coal to the various soda ash producers that he had designed.
Jim served on the Federal Reserve Board for a term, created three full-ride scholarships for the College of Engineering at both Oregon State University and the University of Wyoming, to name but a few of his philanthropic achievements. He was always thinking of others before himself, and had tremendous faith in the human condition, trusting those around him undauntedly.
Jim will be remembered for many reasons, the foremost being his unquestionable integrity, undeniable honesty, unfathomable generosity, and his tremendous sense of humor and wit.
Jim was preceded in death by both of his parents and his youngest son, Daniel.
He is survived by his loving wife, Linda; his son, Timothy, and his wife, Jennifer; his son, Roger; and his four grandchildren, Alexis, James, Matigan and Emma.
He will be missed for the man he was, and will always be a Great Man.