Albert F. King

Albert (Al) Francis King, age 79 of Clermont, Georgia, passed away peacefully on February 20, 2017 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center following an extended illness.  


Al, known as Papa Bear in the family, leaves behind son, Mike King (Sheenagh) of Clermont; daughter, Kelly King Herndon of Lawrenceville; and grandchildren, Leilah King Kemp (Alex) of Tifton; Cameron King (Jenn) of Greenville, South Carolina; Colin King of Clermont; Winston Herndon of Clermont; Adam Herndon (Melissa) of Braselton; and Claire Herndon Vandervelde (Jacob) of Jackson, Mississippi. Papa Bear was loved by six great-grandchildren under the age of seven, Charlie, Avery, Ashlynn, and Addaline Kemp of Tifton; Parker King of Greenville, SC; and Ellery Herndon of Braselton.  Al King is survived by his sister Kathy Payne of Easton, Md; brother-in-law John Temple (Ouida) of Sky Valley; sister-in-law Rosemary T. Calhoun of Tifton; and sister-in-law Gail Temple of Social Circle. He was proceeded in death by his wife of 53 years, Barbara King of Clermont; son-in-law Mark Herndon of Gainesville; brother Wayne King of California; sister and brother-in-law Patricia (Pat) and Alfred (Red) Atkinson of Hartwell; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Loy and Jean Johnson of Jackson, Mississippi; brother-in-law Gerald Temple of Social Circle; brother-in-law Barnwell Calhoun of Tifton; brother-in-law Pete Temple of Hartwell, and sister-in-law Kathy Temple of Hartwell.  


Al was born in Washington D.C. and separated from his sibling at an early age. His ability as an athlete began to reveal itself when he entered St. Joseph’s Orphanage in his early teens and came under the wing of an outstanding man and young coach, Morgan Wooten. Coach Wooten went on to career as one of the most successful Prep coaches in the country. With the help of Coach Wooten, Al earned a spot at the prestigious and nationally ranked DaMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. With so many strikes against him from transportation to cost, Al was not able to attend DaMatha. Life had been a series of tough blows up to that point including spending a year in the hospital at age ten where he was given last rites for kidney damage from child abuse. In his despair at losing his place at DaMatha, Al had no way of knowing that his faith was about to let the sun shine in with a brilliance. His sister Patricia (Pat) Atkinson, a teen herself, met a young WWII veteran from Hartwell, Georgia working in Washingon D.C. That good man was Red Atkinson. They married, and Pat urged Al to come south. A Greyhound bus delivered Al into a new life.
The families of Reed Creek and Hartwell embraced Al just as they had done Pat.  He gained weight and grew several inches in just two years. In his words, “I was not hungry for the first time in my life. No Southern mother allowed a young person to leave her home without a biscuit or piece of chicken.”


Growing stronger served him well at Hart County High as he became the captain of the football and baseball teams, also named Thespian of the Year as a senior. Affectionately called “Yank” by fellow athletes, Al’s classmates became lifelong friends.  


While at Hart County High, a pretty redheaded majorette with white tasseled boots caught his eye. From a large family in the community, her name was Barbara Ann Temple. Al caught Barbara’s eye too during the 1956 Hart County High vs. Gainesville High football game when he played a part in bringing the Hart County Bulldogs from behind to a nail-biting 21 to 20 end.  Hartwell lost the game, but Al won the girl.


Following graduation, Barbara left for college in Milledgeville and Al enlisted in the Army. While stationed at Fort Benning, he hitchhiked many a weekend to see his girl.  They were in married in August 1959. Al went on to earn an undergrad and master’s degree in education from the University of Georgia.  He coached and taught at Madison County High School. In 1970, he accepted a position with the State Department of Education, climbing to the rank to state director of transportation. In retirement, Al followed yet another dream by becoming the GM of a professional football team, the Birmingham Barracudas of the Canadian Football League, CFL.


Having never forgotten the dark years of his childhood, Al was generous with everyone around him.  Staying under the radar suited him best.  He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, a 4th degree, and his influence was also felt by Meals on Wheels, St. Paul the Apostle, St. Jude Medical Center, Boys Town, Covenant House and the University of Georgia.  Among the accomplishments for which he was most proud was helping to establish and build St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Cleveland, Georgia.  


A celebration mass of his life will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 2:00 P.M. at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Cleveland, Georgia with a reception to follow in the parish hall.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 1243 Hulsey Road, Cleveland, GA 30528, http://stpaulcleveland.com/;  Eagle Ranch helping children and families in crisis, P.O. Box 7200 Chestnut Mountain, Georgia 30502, www.eagleranch.org; or the Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center, http://www.nghs.com/hospice.