Ernest J. King

Ernest Joseph King, Ernie to his family and friends, passed away peacefully in the early hours of Friday, August 23, 2024, at the age of 80. 

Ernie was born on October 19, 1943, to Henry J. and Grace (Breault) King. He was raised in Gardner MA, and he lived there for much of his life. As a young man Ernie was on track to enter the priesthood, a fact that still bewilders those who knew and loved him, but as is often the case, life had other plans. Deciding that a monastic life was not in his cards, Ernie enlisted in the US Army, where he earned his Airborne wings in 1962.

After a shockingly long college career, paid for in full by Uncle Sam, Ernie went on to work as a photographer and journalist, most recently having worked for the Gardner News in the aforementioned roles, and as a weekly opinion columnist where his unique perspectives were received with a myriad of feelings by readers both locally, and sometimes thousands of miles away, which brought Ernie no small amount of joy.

Ernie was a gruff man, but when you got past that he was a kind man. He was a volunteer member of the Community Emergency Response Team, a taker in of stray cats, dogs, and humans, and a fervent contributor to a wide array of charities and nonprofits, including the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, Wounded Warriors, The Audubon Society, NPR, and the ASPCA to name just a few. 

Ernie leaves behind two children, Lucy King, and Aslan King, as well as three grandchildren, Ayla King, Alexander King, and Asher King, and his brother, Robert King. 

He was predeceased by a child, Shiloh King. 

Graveside Services with Military Honors will be held Friday, September 13, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Glenallen Street, Winchendon, MA. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a final donation in Ernie’s name to any one of the number of organizations he supported in his life.