Former Alameda Journal columnist Joe King, a fixture of the island city, passed away last Dec. 6 in Grass Valley. He was 97.
Well known for his “Thoughts on the Run” column, King’s musings touched on his longtime experience as an Encinal High School teacher and coach, his World War II service and other topics, including, of course, his passion for running.
“Every column was a gem unto itself, reflecting Joe’s characteristic compassion and humanity,” said Jon Kawamoto, the Alameda Journal’s former editor. “His kind, caring voice came through bright and clear. And there was a distinct message in every one of his columns, but the prevailing tone was Joe’s sheer sense of humanity. And his lessons on the horror of war.”King stopped writing the column after 30 years in March 2018, just before his 92nd birthday. His journey to Alameda began in Mesa, Arizona, where he was born May 9, 1926, to a single mother, Marcella McGowan. They soon moved to Oakland, where he was raised and attended Oakland Technical High School. After graduating in 1944, he served in World War II on a radio crew during the war’s last year. After the war, King attended UC Berkeley, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in history.
In 1950, King began his long association with the island city as he took over running the Alameda Boys Club (today known as the Alameda Boys & Girls Club). Under his leadership, the club established a new facility on Lincoln Avenue in 1957. He continued as the club’s director until 1959. Many former members of the club say they still consider King to have been a second father figure to them.
In 1960, King switched gears again, joining the staff of Encinal High School (Encinal Junior and Senior High School today) where he taught history, English and psychology. He also coached track and cross country and even found time to occasionally serve as skipper for the tennis and chess teams.
King retired from Encinal in 1989 but didn’t settle into an easy chair — far from it. An avid runner all his life, King devoted his retirement years to running, writing his column and his many other interests, which included poetry, chess, tennis and even ballroom dancing.
One of King’s 2014 columns was about the film “Unbroken,” the saga of his longtime friend, fellow World War II veteran Louis Zamperini (wp.me/p7ShJJ-LIf). Zamperini had been an Olympic runner who was later a U.S. prisoner of war in a Japanese camp where guards badly mistreated him. Decades later, Zamperini forgave his former captors. An excerpt of his column shows how much King believed in the power of forgiveness:
The film “Unbroken” arrived on our movie screens Christmas Day. We saw it that day and discovered it was well worth the long wait. Numerous awards could be on the horizon: best director, definitely best cinematography, best actor and supporting actor and — though a long shot — perhaps 2014’s best picture.
As good as the picture is, however, the two most important factors related to Louis Zamperini’s horrible ordeal were noted only in print at the end, rather than being depicted on the screen — mainly his postwar return to Japan to forgive his tormentors and his belief that he was kept alive through all those life-threatening trials for a purpose — helping fellow human beings.
He did so by eventually founding the Victory Youth Camp for problem youngsters in Southern California and going around the country speaking about maintaining one’s spirit no matter what and the inner peace that comes with forgiveness. That was the Lou Zamperini my wife and I came to know.
Aside from his column, King’s prowess as a runner in his latter years is the stuff of legend. He won the Senior Olympic World Championships in the 1,500-meter run in the 65-to-69 age group in 1991 and remarkably won Marin County’s prestigious annual Dipsea Race — a grueling 7.4-mile cross country trek from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach — twice, at ages 69 and 70 (a video clip featuring his 1995 win is online at bit.ly/4aqoXMp).
King also was also a national age-group high jump champion, beating out a former U.S Olympic decathlete in the process. After raising six children with first his wife, Janet, and living in Alameda for 50 years, King moved to Central Point, Oregon. After the death of his second wife (also named Janet) 10 years later, King returned to California to live in Grass Valley, where he could be closer to his children and five grandchildren for his final years.
“In one’s life, you meet literally thousands of individuals along the way. But in actuality, only a few people truly stand out because of their impact on your life and the lessons they’ve taught you. Joe was one of those few unique individuals. I’m truly fortunate to have known him,” said Kawamoto.
Paul Kilduff is a San Francisco-based writer who also draws cartoons. He can be reached at pkilduff350@gmail.com.
