Fr. John R. King, M.M., of St. Clair Shores, died at St. Teresa’s Residence, Ossining, N.Y., on Oct. 25. He was 86 and a Maryknoll priest for 59 years.

After ordination on June 13, 1953, Fr. King served in Maryknoll’s Development Department in St. Louis (1953-54), Philadelphia (1954-55), New York City (1956-58) and Detroit (1958-63). He also served as the development procurator at the Maryknoll Center in New York (1955-56).

Fr. King was assigned to Guatemala in 1963. After language and cultural studies, he served as assistant pastor of the Cathedral Parish in Huehuetenango. In 1965 he was appointed pastor of San Pedro Parish in Soloma, where he ministered to 25 villages that he visited every month by horse.

Fr. King returned to the United States in 1970 to resume his development work. In 1973, Fr. King returned to Central America, where he served in Ilopango, El Salvador; Santa Thecla and Tacachico.

Fr. King returned again to the U.S., where he served in the Development Department in Cleveland (1977-1978) and Detroit (1978-83). He also served as director of development (1986-87). Fr. King retired in 1997 and moved to Jacksonville, Fla. In 1999, he entered the retirement community at Maryknoll, N.Y.

Fr. King was born Oct. 30, 1925, in St. Clair Shores, where he attended St. Gertrude Grammar School and graduated from St. Gertrude High School (1943). After graduating high school, he entered Maryknoll at the Venard in Clark’s Summit, Pa. He held a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Maryknoll Seminary, Ossining, N.Y. (1948).

Fr. King is survived by his sister Rosemary Rivard of Clearwater, Fla., and his many nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass was concelebrated in Our Lady Queen of Apostles Chapel on Oct. 30, followed by Christian burial in Maryknoll Society Cemetery.

Memorial donations in Fr. King’s name may be made to the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, P.O. Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545.