Arthur M. King, who served our Society as President General during 1980-1981, was called to eternal rest on September 17, 2005 while a resident of the Meadows Mennonite Home in the southern Illinois community of Chenoa.   He would have been 103 years of age this coming December.

Compatriot King was an unusually dedicated member of the Sons of the American Revolution covering a span of 42 years, beginning with induction into the Delaware Crossing Chapter of the Kansas Society.  At the time he resided in Missouri, but there was no Chapter in the eastern part of the state.  He eventually served as Chapter President, Kansas Society President, Vice-President General for the South Central District and Secretary General and was elected President General at the Annual Congress in Dallas in mid-1980.  During that time he also managed to participate in the work of many National Committees, in some cases as Chairman.  Awards bestowed upon him included these medals: Minuteman, Patriot, Gold and Silver Good Citizenship, and Law Enforcement Commendation.   He also received the DAR Medal of Honor.

His love of our Society let him to support a diversity of projects which were to have a lasting impact on the future of the SAR.  Among them were:

• Helping to implement the move of National Headquarters in 1979.  Here his expertise in real estate matters proved invaluable in the sale of our building in Washington, DC and the purchase of the one we now occupy in Louisville, KY.

• Recognition of Eagle Scouts.  In the early 1980's, a program to recognize Eagle Scouts was developed by Kansas Compatriot Robert E. Burt while chairing a NSSAR Boy Scout Committee.  The program was successfully tested by his Society and then presented to the Executive Committee by Compatriot King for consideration as a national effort; approval was quickly given.   An Eagle Scout himself, Compatriot King pledged $20,000 to establish a fund to provide financing needed to carry out the program including scholarships to top Eagle Scouts.  Today it reaches thousands of young men all across the country.  The fund has grown dramatically over the years through added contributions by Compatriot King and those of numerous other SARs.

• Expansion of Headquarters building.  In 1984 a construction program funded by Compatriot King included erecting an addition to our building consisting of two levels, each 680 square feet.  One level was to house the offices of the Staff Registrar and Staff Genealogist.  The other level, in effect a basement, became storage space.

• Acquisition of property.  At about the same time he funded the expansion program, he purchased for the Society some parcels of land across Fifth Street from Headquarters to provide additional parking space for cars.   The following years saw further acquisitions until today the National Society owns an entire block; this is where the proposed Center for Advancing America's Heritage will be built.

• Construction of the George Washington Room and acquisition of the Washington Collection.  During the Spring 1991 Meeting of the National Trustees, the unique George Washington Room was dedicated.  Funded by Compatriot King, this facility was carved out what had been part of the Library-and crafted by a Louisville firm to resemble Washington's study at Mount Vernon.   And on its shelves and in cabinets was an extensive collection of books and microfilms relative to the famed Patriot.  The collection was acquired, at King's expense, by then Librarian General Richard E. Wilson while traveling about the country from 1987 on.

Both he and his wife, Berdena, were born in Illinois and were married there in 1928.  His business career caused an eventual move to Weatherby Lake, Missouri, near Kansas City.  The high point of this career was involvement in the construction of a major shopping area in the area.  When she developed Alzheimer's, they moved to the Mennonite Home in 1989.  She passed away in 1992.

The funeral service for PG King was held at the home, with internment at Oak Grove Cemetery at LeRoy.  Participating were members of the Illinois Society and the local Joseph Bartholomew Chapter.  Offering remarks was President General Roland G. Downing.