John F. King | Company president, 83

John F. King, 83, of Lafayette Hill, a retired paper company president, died of heart failure Friday at The Hill at Whitemarsh.

Mr. King graduated from Roxborough High School, where he met his future wife, E. Demaris Hinkle. During World War II, he served in the Navy as an aviation machinist in San Diego.

After his discharge, he joined D.L. Ward Paper Co. in Philadelphia as a sales trainee and eventually became vice president of sales. In 1969, when the company's president, David L. Ward, died suddenly, Mr. King oversaw the sale of D.L. Ward Paper to Lindenmeyr Paper Co. From 1971 until his retirement in 1986, he was president of Lindenmeyr and continued to consult for the company until 1989.

He was past president of the Philadelphia Paper Trade Association and was on the advisory boards of several international paper companies.

Mr. King served on the board of Roxborough Memorial Hospital for more than 20 years and was also on the board of the Cunningham Community House, an outreach center that provides programs for children and adults in West Poplar in Philadelphia.

He and his wife enjoyed golfing at Whitemarsh Country Club and skiing in New England and the West. They were summer residents of Avalon for more than 35 years and were involved in real estate development there in the 1960s and 1970s.

Mr. King is survived by a daughter, Demaris Neilson; three grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. His wife of 59 years died in 2005.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, 5720 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, 19128. Friends may call at 10:30 a.m.

Donations may be made to the church or to the Salvation Army.