Born ‎5 Aug 1918 Brainerd, Crow Wing County, Minnesota, died ‎17 Jan 2000 Palmer, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska‎, age 81 years
Anchorage Daily News January 22, 2000

Alaska pioneer John Provolt King, 81, died Jan. 17, 2000, at his home in Palmer. A memorial Mass was at St. Michael's Parish, 423 E. Fireweed Ave., Palmer, with the Rev. Leo Desso officiating.

Mr. King was born Aug. 5, 1918, in Brainerd, Minn., to Kent and Clara (Provolt) King. He came to Alaska with his parents and sister in 1932. They homesteaded in an area now known as Kings Lake and later in Hope. After the death of his father in 1939, Mr. King returned to Seattle to be with his mother. John married Lucille Vinecore on Sept. 11, 1945. Three days later, they were on a steamship headed for Alaska. Mr. King and his wife lived in Seward briefly before moving to Palmer. In 1946, he and his late cousin, Clyde King, established Palmer Concrete Products, which they operated until 1949. Also, he and his mother owned and operated Clara's Variety from 1948 until 1955. In 1951, Mr. King and his wife moved to the Butte area, where they made their home for the next 49 years. Mr. King and his wife were active members of St. Michael's Parish in Palmer and enjoyed church activities. His family recalled: ''John was a hardworking, resourceful and inventive man. Over the years he farmed, raised horses, delivered milk for the Alaska Dairy, did carpentry and worked as pilebuck. He retired from the Piledrivers Local 2520 in 1981. ''In 1964 to 1994, John and Lucille started Mamma's Wood Yard. John designed and built a wood machine that pulled the logs into the machine, cut and split the wood to size, and loaded it into the truck. That machine did everything but stack the wood and deliver it.'' After retiring, the couple traveled extensively and went on cruises. They traveled to several areas of the United States, including several trips to Hawaii, and enjoyed short visits to Arizona during the winter months. The family added that he would be greatly missed.

Mr. King is survived by his wife of 54 years, Lucille of Palmer; children and their spouses, Sandi Allen, Susan and Terry Beal, Evelyn and Greg Ochoa, Ellen and Melton Jones, Kathy and Rick Harrington, Kent and Anne King, and Laura and Tom Shones; 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild; his sister and brother-in-law, Louise and Lyle Saxton; cousin, June Liebing; and several nieces and nephews. Arrangements were by Kehl's Palmer Mortuary.

Born ‎26 Feb 1926 Willamina, Yamhill County, Oregon, died ‎Jul 2009 Palmer, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska‎, age 83 years
They had 6 daughters and a son.


Anchorage Daily News August 8, 2009

Palmer resident Lucille Mary King died July 28, 2009, at age 83. A memorial service was held Aug. 21, 2009, with a rosary, family visitation, and the service, with a reception afterward at Saint Michael's Parish in Palmer, where Lucille was a member for 63 years.

Lucille was born Feb. 26, 1926, in Willamina, Ore., to Frank William and Agatha Darcy Vinecore. Lucille graduated from Billings High School in Montana and attended nursing school in Portland, Ore. Lucille married John Provolt King in September 1946. Four days later they were on a steamship bound for Alaska, where Lucille lived for the next 64 years. Her family wrote: "Lucille lived an active life. She and John owned and operated Mamma's Wood Yard for 26 years, and later she worked for the Palmer Pioneer home in nursing. Lucille was an accomplished seamstress, using both ingenuity and creativity. Lucille collected dolls throughout the years, sewed new clothes for them and donated them to the Bishop's Attic No. 2 charity auction. Lucille was active in Butte Homemakers, 4-H Club and the Palmer Bishop's Attic No. 2 as a board member and a volunteer. Lucille loved to travel, enjoying both national and international destinations. She also loved to winter in Arizona, but she always came home for Christmas. Lucille was the center of her family and they were devoted to her." The family described her as unselfish, resourceful and creative. A friend described her as a woman of beauty, grace and grit. Lucille was preceded in death by husband of 54 years, John P. King, and grandson, Rodney Sean Allen.

Lucille is survived by her children, Sandi Allen, Susan (Terry) Beal, Evelyn (Greg) Ochoa, Ellen Jones, Kathy (Rick) Harrington, Kent (Ann) King, and Laura (Tom) Shones; 17 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; twin sister Leona Ann (Mel) Wienecke; in-laws Lyle and Louise Saxton and several nieces and nephews in Washington, Oregon and California. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Palmer Bishop's Attic No. 2 or cancer research in Lucille's name.