king11

Donald L King 12/20/31 - 4/27/06

Founder of The King’s Art and the lead of the Beau Jesters, Don King, passed away April 27, 2006 after a 21 year battle with Parkinson's disease. Don was 74.

Don and Sarah were married 47 years. They have one daughter, Amy, and two granddaughters, Danielle and Abby. In 1966 Don founded The King’s Art Gallery in Garland, Texas. Don and Sarah worked together and the Gallery is still located in Garland, Texas. Sarah says, “I will love Don forever. He is still my sweetheart.”

Don graduated from Sunset High School in June 1949. Don and three high school pals formed the Beau Jesters quartet in 1948 when he was only 14 years old. Don first met Earnest and Wallace at Dallas’ Sunset High School in 1946 and began singing together when Don was only 14. They sang on local radio and TV stations; WFAA, KIXL, WRR, KGKO, and KRLD. They were the first Southwestern District Champs of SPEBSQSA back in 1949 and were well known for their entertaining Mills Brothers/Gospel Quartet style. The quartet traveled extensively in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. They toured with the Lyndon Johnson Senatorial Campaign in 1948. They sang together for 40 years. Don was also a member of the Vocal Majority and appears on their first two albums with the Beau Jesters singing "Daddy's Little Girl" and "I Know A Little Bit About A Lot of Things".

In 1950 Don joined the Air Force Reserve and a few months later the 443rd Troop Carrier wing was called to active duty and sent to Donaldson Air Force Base in Greenville, South Carolina. Don was released from active duty in October 1953, at which time he pursued a career as a solo singer working with the Keynotes. He was on a TV show called Midday Merry-go-Round and in 1954 he moved to New York City to seek his fortune there. In 1957 he moved back to Dallas and one year later married his high school sweetheart, Sarah Horton. In 1961 Amy, their only child was born.

Don was honest and truthful, a man of integrity. He loved to sing, and loved people and everyone loved Don. He never said an unkind word to or about anyone. He had a wonderful knack for humor and kept us all laughing. Even after 21 years of Parkinson’s he never complained and always had a word of encouragement for everyone. Don always had time for people. Stopping his work, he would talk with customers and listen to their troubles. Don was brilliant. After he married, he was in electronics until he formed The King’s Art. With his great imagination and his ability to buy and sell, he made the business thrive for many years. Since he grew up on a farm in Avalon, Texas he bought acreage in Wills Point in Van Zandt County. There he had a house built and spent hours building and mending fences and tending to his cows. Don was a Christian and when he prayed he would always say, “Hold us in the palm of your hand and thank you for Jesus who died on the cross for our sins.” Don went to be with the Lord when his heart stopped about 1:00 PM on April 27, 2006. He is missed more than words can say.