Obituaries : Donald Claire King

Donald Claire King passed peacefully with his family at his side on April 7, 2022, in Sarasota, Fla. He was born in Vinton, Iowa, on Aug. 26, 1929, the son of Morris Vern and Esther Marie Glass King. He received his elementary education in one-room country schoolhouses in Benton County. He graduated from Geneseo Consolidated High School, where he played in the Iowa State High School Basketball Tournament in 1945, at which time he determined that he would become a high school basketball coach. He received a B.A. degree from Iowa State Teachers College in 1951 and an M.A. degree from the University of Iowa in 1956. Over a 42-year career, he coached at Hayfield, Iowa, Lisbon, Iowa, Robbinsdale, Minn., Nevada, Iowa, Coe College and the final 27 years at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids. His teams won more than 500 games including the Iowa State Championship in 1969. He received 12 coach-of-the-year awards and was inducted into four Halls of Fame: Nevada High School, Cedar Rapids Washington High School, Iowa High School Basketball and The University of Northern Iowa Athletic. In 1969, he was named Coach of the Year in the Big10 states and in 1991 was nominated for National High School Basketball Coach of the Year. He served on the Iowa High School Basketball Hall of Fame selection committee and worked extensively on the formation and growth of the Iowa Hall of Pride in Des Moines and was a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches for 33 years.

In 1952, he met June Sonquist in Blank's Drug Store in her hometown of Garner, Iowa. She became the love of his life. Last August, they celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary.

They were active members of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids from 1962 until they retired full-time to Longboat Key, Fla., in 2017.

He is survived by his wife, June; two children, Bob (Tammy) and Joan Salwen (Kevin); eight grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Mary Louise Lassen (Bob).

He was preceded in death by his parents and one son, Tom.

Don totally loved and was proud of his family. In addition to family activities, he enjoyed all sports, bridge, reading and playing the piano.

A family service was held in Sarasota.

Memorials can be directed to The University of Northern Iowa Don King Endowed Scholarship and to St. Paul's United Methodist Church. Cards may be addressed to June King, 1301 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236.