ARCHBOLD WEATHER

Maurice E. King

May 24, 1922-Oct. 25, 2011


Maurice E. King was born in the Lockport area on May 24, 1922, to William (Bill) and Carrie (Nofzinger) King, their fifth child.

He entered his heavenly home on Oct. 25, 2011, at the age of 89 years.

Maurice was a charter member of Zion Mennonite Church and later joined Donelson Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tenn.

As a young boy, Maurice moved with his family to a farm on St. Rt. 2, just west of Wauseon, where he would live until he was 21. His family milked cows and Maurice helped with the delivery of the milk as he grew up.

Ever an industrious and ambitious spirit, Maurice helped convince his dad to buy a slip-scraper, which was pulled behind horses.

They helped dig the basement of Central Church, as well as several homes on the east side of Archbold.

Then they bought a truck so they could haul sand and gravel, shoveled by hand.

Next came a cleat-track loader/tractor that could be used to load the truck as well as do excavating. Maurice operated this tractor to build the railroad siding for the new LaChoy plant in Archbold.

Maurice married Martha Lugbill on June 6, 1943. They were blessed with five children: David, Linda, Bonita (Bonnie), Karen, and William (Bill).

After they were married he began farming. He bought one of the first sugar beet loaders in the area and loaded and hauled beets for farmers.

One day a stranger called and wanted to buy the bulldozer that Maurice owned. The stranger said that these machines were hard to find, and if he could, he would even buy more.

Maurice found more bulldozers and thus began a life of travel and sales. Although his primary trade was buying and selling heavy road machinery, he was also involved in used car sales, logging in Michigan, deep-plowing in Texas, and setting up equipment auctions across the country.

He was the last surviving founding partner of Yoder & Frey Auctioneers, Inc.

In 1969, Maurice and Martha moved to Nashville, Tenn., and continued buying and selling machinery and arranging his own auctions, as well as developing real estate.

They retired in 1995 and moved back to Archbold in 2006, where he oversaw Martha’s care until her death on Nov. 10, 2010. They were married over 67 years.

Maurice loved God and his family and friends. He loved this adventure called “life” and was fortunate to make many friends from around the world. He loved to laugh and enjoyed a good story or joke. His life was an inspiration to many.

Maurice was preceded in death by his wife Martha (Lugbill) King; son David; his parents; stepmother, Lydia (Short) King; brothers Harold and Emerson; and sisters Mabel, Dorothy, and Helen.

He is survived by his son Bill (Patty) King; daughters Linda King, Bonnie (Wendell) Beck, and Karen (Charles) Koellein; grandchildren Tim Creel, Carrie Snyder, Christian Snyder, Clifford Snyder, Karl Snyder, Edna Kate Snyder, Doug Beck, Deb Zimmerman, Kathy Sauder, Laura Beck, William Koellein, David Koellein and Martha Brooks; 24 great-grandchildren; brother Marvin (Pauline) King; sisters Erma Kauffman and Irene King; and sisters-in-law Ilva King and Myrtie Wagler.



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