Thomas Arthur

King

PLATISBURGH - Thomas Arthur King, a hardworking, strong-minded man who loved his family deeply, passed away peacefully on Friday morning. A proud lifelong resident of the North Country, Tom was a true "Fox Hiller," having spent his youth on both Johnson Avenue and Waterhouse Street in Plattsburgh. He attended Our Lady of Victory Academy and graduated from Plattsburgh High School.

A veteran of the United States Army, Tom was drafted during the Vietnam War and proudly served his country stationed at the Panama Canal - a period of service he carried with deep honor throughout his lifetime. Upon returning home, he spent cherished time at the family camp in Onchiota and lived in Saranac Lake. It was at the legendary Dew Drop Inn where he met the love of his life, Frances, winning her over while she worked as a waitress. They were later united in marriage and began building their family together.

Driving was always in Tom's blood. In his early years, he drove tractor-trailers for several regional logging companies, including during the transformation of Buck Pond into a State Park. The family eventually settled in Beekmantown. For the majority of his career, Tom was an over-the-road truck driver and a proud member of the local Teamsters union, driving for Dom's Trucking and Oneida Motor Freight out of Morrisonville. Following his retirement from long-haul trucking, he served as a civilian employee at Plattsburgh Air Force Base - first clearing runways as a snowplow operator, and later working as a painter and sign maker. When the base closed, he finished his career behind the wheel for Moorey Trucking out of Malone, making weekly runs from Malone to Miami.

Known for his generosity and encyclopedic knowledge of routes across the East Coast, Tom was always ready to help anyone with driving directions. He maintained detailed maps of the entire Northeast and meticulous handwritten notes featuring exact exit numbers, shortcuts, and truck stops.

Tom was an avid New York sports fan and a die-hard Yankees supporter through every season. He held a deep love for football and basketball, having played in his youth. Whether sitting quietly in the corner of a ice rink or down the third-base line, Tom never missed a game or practice for his sons, always putting his children first.

In addition to his family and sports, Tom had a great love for dogs. He cherished his canine companions throughout his life, caring for them deeply until he was no longer able to do so. During their retirement years in Florida, Tom and Frances often opened their hearts and home to rescue dogs, providing them with a loving second chance.

Tom was pre-deceased by his beloved parents, and by his devoted wife, Frances King, whom he cared for deeply throughout her life.

He is survived by his loving sons, Mike King and his wife Julie, and Greg King and his wife Amie. He also leaves behind his cherished grandchildren, Courtney, Elizabeth, Sophia, Lila, and Gordon King, as well as extended family, former union brothers, and dear friends.

"He has taken his final haul home, reunited with his beloved wife, and watches over his family with pride."