King deBord
King deBord, L16686, was a familiar face at many FMCA international conventions. As a volunteer with the parking layout crew that guided motorhomes into their spots, he always arrived early to make preparations. And he was one of the last to leave, because he worked the entire convention.
It was one of the many ways King served FMCA. He was national vice president, Northwest Area, from 1991 to 1994, and national vice president, International Area, from 1995 to 1996. Over a span of 17 years, he served on the Nominating Committee; the Membership/Member Services Committee; the FMCA Review Council; and the Convention Committee.
King J. deBord died June 26, 2017, at age 89. He and his wife, Jackie, who passed away in September 2016, were married for 64 years. (Her obituary appeared in the November 2016 issue of FMC, page 30.) They lived in Port Angeles, Washington, and spent many winters in Yuma, Arizona.
Early in their married life, the deBords were boaters. Their son, Jim, said his parents named their boat the Lani Kai, which is Hawaiian for “heavenly seas.” After switching to motorhoming in the 1970s, they called their first and subsequent coaches the Dri Kai. They became full-time motorhomers in 1991.
Believed In FMCA
“They believed in FMCA; really, really believed in it. They were dedicated,” their son said. Jim, the oldest of King and Jackie’s three children, is national director for the Olympic Peninsula Ramblers chapter, which his parents helped form.
In fact, King and Jackie were involved with many chapters. They were founding members of the One Hundred Plus chapter, as well as members of Northwestern Bus Nuts; Northwestern; Frustrated Maestros Northwest Musical Misfits; Converted Coach; Pipe Dreamers; Foothills Snowbirds; and Revconeers.
In 2005, King and Jackie were awarded lifetime membership by FMCA’s Governing Board. “They really enjoyed the organization. It was a lifestyle for them,” said their daughter Debbie Riley, the couple’s youngest child. “Even before my father retired, we spent summers going to rallies and traveling all over.”
King was a longshoreman for more than 40 years, but he also built roads, drove a city bus, delivered cement, and fished commercially. One of his favorite sayings was, “I don’t have to go to work; I get to go to work.”
His work ethic carried over to FMCA. It’s not clear who recruited him for parking layout duty, but Debbie noted, “My father was one of those people that anybody he could help, he would.”
He rose early each day during a convention. After loading up a golf cart, “he would go around all day long, making sure (volunteers) had enough water, and taking lunches to people in the outlying areas,” Debbie said. Jackie also distributed lunches as a volunteer with the parking layout crew. And both she and King helped out at FMCA’s merchandise booth.
New Friends
Bill and Donzella Leahy met King and Jackie at an FMCA rally nearly 30 years ago. “Because of their friendliness and their enthusiasm, we kept getting more and more involved,” said Donzella, who served as national vice president, Northwest Area, from 2005 to 2008.
When King’s health deteriorated and he needed a caretaker, Jackie took on that role for as long as she could. Now, “He’s with Mom again,” Jim said.
In addition to his daughter Debbie and son, Jim, survivors include his daughter Tracey Warner; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren.
Memorials can be sent to Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, 540 E. Eighth St., Port Angeles, WA 98362; www.vhocc.org.