Erle Reuben King

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Erle Reuben King, 90, of Cody, died in his home from natural causes on Jan. 24, 2017.

Reuben was born the first child of George and Inez Goodman King in a farm house in Oregon, Missouri. The family moved to California when he was 6 months old. They later moved to Thermopolis during the Depression to be with family.

He moved back to California and completed high school in west Los Angeles. After graduating, he joined the Navy when he was 17 years old. He was stationed to the South Pacific on a mine sweeper which was a converted destroyer. He served in the Navy for three years until the war was over. He was honorably discharged in February 1946.

Reuben then moved to Cody to be with his parents, who had bought the Green Lantern on the North Fork, which they renamed Wapiti Lodge. He helped his parents build cabins they rented to tourists. Reuben was an avid fisherman and loved boating and being on the lake. So, he established King’s Anchorage, a boat dock and campground at the Buffalo Bill reservoir. Since King’s Anchorage was seasonal, Reuben also worked as a bartender. King’s Anchorage was closed when they raised the dam.

Reuben married Mickey McBrearty Felker in January 1961. He adopted her four children and they had one child together. In retirement, Reuben loved fishing and taking care of his yard. Reuben also loved fixing things — he always had to be tinkering with something. He was a lifetime member of the Eagle’s, Elk’s and VFW.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Inez King; his wife of 55 years, Mickey; and his sister, Dianne King Kousoulos.

He is survived by his children Kimberly King, Jed (Sandi) King, Kit (Doug) Currah, Kay (Terry) Kenney and Jill King; grandchildren Jason Pitt, Todd (Kyoko) Pitt, Valerie King, Josh King, Nic Kenney, Ben Daniels, and Kayla Bo McElmury; six great-grandchildren; sister Sue Dutton; and cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Services will be held at Ballard Funeral Home Saturday, Feb. 4, at 11 a.m., followed with a celebration of life at Cassie’s.

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