Thomas Michael King
9/12/1938 – 1/3/2024
Thomas Michael King, 85, passed away January 3, 2024, just three weeks after the death of the love of his life, Frances.
He was born to Michael and Mary (Alvord) King on September 12, 1938 in Des Moines, Iowa. Tom was positive and self-reliant from a young age. His Aunt Marie and Uncle Loury Gresdal were an influential force in his life and alongside his mother, made sure he and his sister were raised well. He enjoyed sharing stories of growing up in Des Moines and always kept in touch with life-long friends.
While working at Iowa-Des Moines National Bank he met Frances McClaflin. They were married May 31, 1963, and he became a devoted husband and amazing father to four daughters. Over the years they moved several times for job opportunities finally settling in Kansas City where they lived for the last 30 years.
His studies in Economics at Grandview College led to his career in grain commodities. He traded commodities at the Kansas City Board of Trade, started his own business to assist farmer’s co-ops in grain sales and later started another company to assist truckers in moving grain. He never stopped learning and trying new things including getting his private pilots’ license, a Missouri real estate license, volunteering for Project Literacy KC and marshalling at Hodge Park Golf Course.
His girls were raised to be self-reliant and independent. He was so very proud and thankful to witness the successes of his daughters, their husbands, and his grandchildren. He never stopped reminding his girls of the importance of family and he always credited the closeness of the family to his wife who he still referred to as his “bride,” even after 60 years of marriage.
Tom was preceded in death by his mother, his sister Marie “Susie” Swartzbaugh and his beloved wife, Frances. He is survived by daughters Kelli (Greg) Pesch, Kristen (John) Jorgensen, Karen King, and Katherine (Richard) Henderson, grandchildren Tonya (Justin) Walston, Ryan and Garrett Henderson and brothers-in-law Gerry Swartzbaugh, Jim McClaflin, and Rex McClaflin, sisters-in-law Janice McClaflin and Ida Carpenter and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral service is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Thursday, January 11 at the Heafey Hoffmann Dworak Cutler Funeral home in Omaha. To view a live broadcast of the service, please visit www.heafeyheafey.com.
Please plan to join the family on April 27, 2024 at the Jasper Winery in Des Moines, Iowa from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for a Celebration of Life for Thomas and Frances King.
The family wishes to thank the devoted people at AseraCare Hopsice and in lieu of flowers, suggests donations to the Josie Harper Hospice House of Omaha.
2 Comments
Tom’s wife Francis went to be with our Lord on 12/12/2023 and Tom had such a hard time with the realization she was gone and soon followed 3 weeks later to be with her in heaven…She was the love of his life and as much as he loved his four beautiful daughters that he was so very proud of did not want them to carry on the responsibility of taking care of him. Thomas and Francis were the best parents children could ever have. Over the years, I always was envious of the kind of love this family portrayed to one another. And it started with Tom and Francis who instilled in their four daughters the importance of love and family…I truly love this family with all of my heart and I pray Kelli, Kristen, Karen and Katie can keep faith in our Lord to seek comfort and guidance for their great loss in these wonderful parents and to know they now have everlasting life together in heaven.
Tommy was a great friend to every one he met,I met him in the 7th grade and have been very good friends ever since, I was proud of him he had an entrepreneurial imagination and was not afraid to step out of his comfort zone 🙏I will miss him
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