By HDN Staff
CHINOOK/FORT BELKNAP Joseph W. King, 49, died at his home in Chinook from injuries received in a fall. His Indian name was Ake-Nadambe which meant Stands fighting the attack.
Wake and rosary were Thursday at the Red Whip Center at Fort Belknap. Funeral Mass was set for 2:30 p.m. today at the Red Whip with burial in the Pony Hill Cemetery.
John W. King was born on Jan. 14, 1952, to Woodrow and Mary (Walkslow) King. He lost his mother at an early age and was raised by his grandfather, Joseph Walkslow, and grandmother, Esther Boy Chief Gray Walkslow. King later stayed with the Sarah Gray Doney family and Roosevelt Gray family, where he attended Harlem Schools and graduated from Harlem High School in 1971. King was a very fluent speaker of the Assiniboine language that was taught to him by his grandparents.
King attended the University of Montana in Missoula from 1971 to 1973 where he majored in Forestry. During the summer months, King was employed by the U.S. Forest Services and was stationed at the Seeley Lake Ranger District.
King entered the U.S. Army on April 6, 1973 where he served with the 183rd Maintenance Company as an automotive repairman and received and honorable discharge on July 15, 1975.
Since 1975, King worked for various ranchers in the Ft. Belknap area and worked as a laborer for the Fort Belknap Indian Community. Due to medical problems King was unable to work the past few years.
King was well liked by all his friends including Frank "Butch" Ereaux. He enjoyed attending sports activities and was a very avid fan of the Harlem Wildcats. During his childhood years, he was called "King Fish" by his peers. Ranger Magnuson of the Seeley Lake Ranger District was very fond of King and always looked forward to hiring him for the summer months as he was a pleasant employee to work with and possessed good work skills.
During the past few years, King enjoyed the companionship of his special friend Bonnie Ereaux and they lived in Chinook and made their frequent trips to Fort Belknap to do business and visit friends and family.
Survivors include his companion, Bonnie Ereaux of Chinook; sister, Karen King of Lodge Pole; brother Merrill Gray of Ft. Belknap.
Adams Funeral Home of Malta is in charge of arrangements.
