The Life of a King, George L. King

George Leonard King (often billed as "King George",) was born on August 6th, 1943 to Matthew, Sr. and Margaret King in Providence, RI. He had 2 brothers (Matt, Jr & Tim,) and a baby sister, Helen. After the loss of his mother when he was 6, his father got remarried to his second mom, Marion, who brought her daughter Victoria with her to the family, and eventually he had 2 more sisters (Kitty & Betty,) and their family of 9 was complete. George was very fond of all his siblings and loved them so very much.

George grew up in Cambridge, MA where he played baseball as a kid, played Basketball at Rindge Tech where he graduated in 1961, and he played bugle in the Cambridge Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps. He was proud of his performances at places such as the Boston Patriots Game and the Boston Hatch Shell where the Boston Pops Orchestra performs on the 4th of July. He could get into some mischief at times, and would often boast that he was popular with the ladies in high school and attended 6 proms! (insert his chuckle and boyish grin here…)

In 1963, George joined the Air Force doing communications work. He was stationed in Cheyenne, WY where he participated in "Fast Draw" Competitions, and we hear he was "quite good" at them, and was also stationed in Hawaii. After his honorable discharge from the military, he went to work for Kentron Hawaii as a civilian contractor for the Air Force and did 2 tours in Vietnam during the war, was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and for some time he was in Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. He loved his time on the Island. He had a radio show and was a disc jockey once a week. They only got to see movies once a week when they would be flown in so they found other ways to have fun such as parties, festivals, and sports leagues. He was part of men's softball team that was the "National League Champs" and he was very proud of his women's softball team that he coached where he met his longtime friend Judy Sumter.

After coming back to the states in 1971, he went to Hotel Management school in Los Angeles, CA and shortly after began working in the hospitality industry in 1972 as the Executive Assistant manager for the Sheraton Townhouse in Los Angeles, CA where he first met Sylvia. In 1974 he moved to Seattle, WA to be the General Manager for the Jet Inn Hotel, but after several months, he realized did not like the weather there and he made his way back to Los Angeles. When he came back, he got help from Sylvia with a place to stay, and later in the year they began dating. They married in 1975. His next position in 1975 was as General Manager of the Los Angeles Revolver & Athletic Club, which was a private club within the LAPD with 7,500 members. He enjoyed his position there for several years and loved to host parties there for the members. A year after they were married, George lost his sister who passed away leaving 6 kids, so George and Sylvia decided they should take them in so they wouldn't be separated. While juggling a new large family, he continued to work his way up in the industry and in 1977 he took a job to further his career as the Food & Beverage director for the Pacifica Hotel in Culver City, CA. He successfully converted the Top 40 Disco Club to a Country Western club and the club was selected by Dick Clark Production to do a piece for his show. The club was billed as LA's #1 Classic Country night club. In October of 1981, George and Sylvia welcomed their youngest daughter into the world, and now their family of 9 was complete.

In 1982 he took a job as Assistant GM for the Holiday Inn in West Covina, CA. After 3 years there he took a position with Brown Hotel Investments to become opening General Manager in November of 1985 for the Embassy Suites Hotel in Lompoc, CA. He assisted with the final phase of construction, hired staff, and opened the hotel in May of 1986. The hotel saw much success and received many awards while under his care. In 1991 George was diagnosed with lung cancer and had to have ½ his lung removed. Even still, it didn't keep him down and he ran the hotel successfully for 6 more years before the hotel was sold again.
In 1997 his chapter at the Embassy came to a close, and he took a General Manager position for of the new Ramada Inn in Lake Havasu City, AZ for the Hotel Managers Group in 1997. Then also in 1997, he was awarded CHA designation (Certified Hotel Administrator, which was the highest and most prestigious designation offered by the institute.) Not wanting to uproot his family, he moved to AZ on his own and would travel back every other week to spend as much time with them as possible. He made the sacrifice he thought was best for his family to have a stable life, even if that meant he would be separated from them. After their youngest daughter graduated from high school in 1999, he moved to take a position at the soon to be built Hilton Garden Inn in Redding, CA that opened in December of 2000. After the hotel was built, Sylvia moved up to work with him as his Catering & Sales Manager for the hotel. In 2005 he then took a position to oversee the build and opening of the new Hampton Inn in Carson City, NV where he worked for 2 years and then for his final hotel position he was sent to oversee the new build of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Grass Valley, CA and enjoyed that area for some time.

In 2008 George and Sylvia packed up yet again and made their way back "home" and took on a semi-retirement position as Ranch Manager/Caretaker of the 3,000-acre Rancho San Antonio historical cattle ranch for the Tompkins Family in Casmalia, CA. They enjoyed ranch life for 10 years until the passing of the matriarch of the Tompkins family, and then they finally retired back to their home in Lompoc.

Throughout the years George was active in the community including the Lompoc Chamber of Commerce (past VP, 6 year Director, & Chairman of Military Affairs committee,) the Lompoc Rotary Club (2 time president & Paul Harris fellow,) the Elks, the Moose Lodge, Lompoc ADA (past VP,) was active in the guardian challenge and setting up the Lompoc Sister City with Cheyenne, WY, was a member & volunteer for Lompoc Valley Riders, was a supporter/volunteer for the Lompoc Pony Club, Lompoc 4-H club, LOVARC, Hospice, chairman of Lompoc Cancer Society Daffodil days, alumni of Leadership Lompoc Valley, and he was also co-founder of the W.C. Fields festival in Lompoc.

He was an avid golfer and loved to Golf whenever possible. He would travel back to Arizona and compete in the Iron Man Golf Tournament that he was proud of because he did it, in 100-degree weather, with only ½ a lung.  His greatest accomplishment in life however, was his 44-year marriage to his wife Sylvia, and raising his 7 kids and watching them grow into amazing adults. He was most proud of his kids and was ever their biggest fan.

Over the years George took great pride in his work, and most of all his family, but even when life threw strikes and foul balls at him, he never let it strike him out. He loved life and loved to have fun, and said you're never too old to feel young.

It really was good to be a King….

He is survived by his wife Sylvia King, daughters Corrine Ratcliffe, Robin O'Hayer, Penny Keyzer, son Michael Bourgeois, daughters Stacie Tate, Vicki Blackstone, and Christa (Christiane) King, brother Matthew C. King, Jr, sisters Helen King McGah, Kitty Grabelski, and Betty King, and many nephews, nieces, grandkids, and great grandkids. He was predeceased by his parents, his Brother Tim, and his sister Victoria.

His funeral service will be held on January 17 ^th , 2020 at 3pm at Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Lompoc with Military honors at the conclusion of mass. "A Party fit for a King," will follow at the Hilton Garden Inn at 5pm.