An Even Harder Day

Micah Joel King

Micah Joel King fell asleep while in Jesus' care in the wee hours of Wednesday, January 25, 2006 at his home on the shores of East Lake Palestine. Born July 21, 1977 at Hughuley Memorial Hospital in Ft. Worth, Texas, Micah grew up in nearby Keene where he was a standout athlete, award winning actor and student leader at Keene Public Schools. He moved to the Tyler area with his parents in 1996 and worked his way through an associate degree in education at Tyler Junior College and was completing a degree in education at the University of Texas at Tyler.

At 6 feet 4 inches Micah literally stood head and shoulders above his peers, but he spent most of his time working much nearer to the earth - usually sitting on the floor in the center of a circle of children. He was a brilliant natural teacher and was much loved by the hundreds of children he cared for as a teacher and leader at Generations Together and the Boys & Girls Club. "Mr. Micah" could hardly go anywhere in the city without being spotted towering above the crowd by his kids who would shout "Mr. Micah" and run over demanding to be hugged. Micah never turned a child away and spent countless hours outside his work doing special things for "his kids", listening to their troubles on the phone or tirelessly planning special events and activities for them on his own time, evenings, weekends and holidays.

Micah served as an ordained deacon at the Tyler Seventh Day Adventist Church and went on mission trips to build churches and schools in Mexico. Friends described him as "big old teddy bear" with a large heart to match. Micah loved music, played bass and guitar and flute. He sang with his brother and sister, composed music and was a prolific artist leaving behind murals and fat sketchbooks with his caricatures and designs. He wrote poignant poetry in private, but in public he always found a way to make people laugh.

Micah is survived by his parents; Tom and Sheila King; brother, Matthew King; sister Meghan King; girlfriend Mindy Cornett; grandparents, Clara and Ralph DeLaune; and his beloved "kids", too many to count. Micah's family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friday in the chapel of Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Hwy., south Tyler 75703. A memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 28, 2006 at the Tyler Seventh Day Adventist Church, 2935 SSE Loop 323 in Tyler. A reception dinner for family and friends will take place in the Family Life Center after the service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Micah King Memorial Fund at any Southside Bank location.