Kent King

Kent Brooks King

King Sunday, June 15, 2008
Kent Brooks King, 51, of Paducah died at 1:37 p.m. Friday, June 13, 2008, at Lourdes hospital.
Kent was a member of West End Baptist Church. He was a 1975 graduate of Paducah Tilghman High School. He was the McCracken County Emergency Management Director since 1990, after serving for many years as a volunteer. Kent was a public servant for his entire adult life and was the go-to guy for a lot of organizations and agencies that needed assistance. He was the Director of the Local Emergency Planning Committee, on the Board of Directors for McCracken County E911, worked with the Homeland Security & Anti Terrorism Committee and on the Board of Directors of the Hendron Fire Department. Kent was instrumental in bringing McCracken County's 800 MHz radio system into reality and in expanding the county's outdoor warning sirens. He pioneered and implemented the Urban Search and Rescue Program in Western Kentucky. Kent was a Kentucky EMT. Kent oversaw efforts to prepare emergency response plans to disasters ranging from car wrecks to toxic spills and major earthquakes. He was active in the Kentucky Region One Emergency Management Association. He was also a member of the Paducah Amateur Radio Association. His call sign was K14FUR. He was well noted for leadership in the DES Storm Spotting Program. Kent was a fixture for morning commuters throughout Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois who listened to his traffic reports. He was a radio broadcaster for 33 years for WKYQ & WKYX and was creator of the Outlaw Hours. He was the longest-serving on air personality on WKYQ.
He is survived by his wife Gloria King; a daughter, Shaina Francis of Paducah; two sons, Scott Francis and Mark Francis, both of Paducah; his father Joe B. King and two brothers, Mark King and Craig King, all of Paducah; and two nephews, Michael King and Tyler King, both of Paducah.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Margaret Ann Gowler King.
Funeral services for Kent Brooks Kings will be at 12 p.m. on Monday, June 16, 2008, at West End Baptist Church with the Rev. F. Wayne Carter officiating. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens.
Friends may visit with the family after 5 p.m. today, June 15, 2008, at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah and from 10 a.m. till service time of 12 p.m. on Monday, June 16, 2008, at West End Baptist Church.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to American Heart Association, Kentucky Region, 240 Whittington Parkway, Louisville, KY 40222 or American Diabetes Association, Memorial and Honor Program, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22313.
You may leave a message of sympathy or light a candle at milnerandorr.com.
"Thing are for the best, in this best of all possible worlds." - Kent King