Rufus Monroe “Mickey” King

Rufus Monroe “Mickey” King, 70, passed away Monday, June 29, 2015. Mickey was born Feb. 8, 1945 in Gonzales to Rufus Melvin King and Mary Doris Riemenschneider King. He graduated from Gonzales High School with the Class of 1963. He attended the University of Texas before enrolling in Southwest Texas State Teacher’s College where he received his bachelor’s degree in business with the Class of 1967. He married Mary Ann Faurie on Sept. 10, 1965 in Gonzales.

The above is standard fare regarding information for life events, but as one might, and as many have done before at King’s Gas Station, just pull up a chair and get the real story.  It’s a story of keeping a kindred tradition alive, a youthful romance that blossomed into nearly 50 years of loving devotion and an innate need to serve with a smile. 

There is no need to preface this story with Mickey’s early childhood, the true essence begins and ends with the loves of his life, the station, Mary Ann and serving the station’s patrons.

The story in part begins with Rufus Melvin King, Mickey’s father, taking over the lease of the Texas Co., a full service gas station on St. Joseph Street in 1940 which later became known as Rufus King’s Texaco. Along about Mickey’s teenage years, Mickey found himself working at the station with his father and between fill-ups, windshield washing, checking fluid levels and fixing flat tires he naturally found time to lean up against a soda machine and muster the courage to ask a pretty underclassman by the name of Mary Ann Faurie to accompany him to the nearby Dairy Treat as she was walking by the station. This wasn’t the “start of a beautiful friendship” to quote a scene from Casablanca, but it certainly didn’t hurt. 

The usual teenage boy teasing (which in an adolescent’s mind means “I like you”) wasn’t received in kind. It wasn’t until Mickey followed his brother to the University of Texas and felt so out of his element that he soon returned home and applied to Southwest Texas State Teacher’s College for the spring semester that he began dating Mary Ann. 

On Christmas of her senior year he asked her to marry him and a few months after her graduation they married.

Mickey finished college in 3 ½ years and went into business with his father. Mary Ann worked as a homemaker and raised their two children while Mickey worked long hours at the station. This would be the only time they would be apart. 

Mickey broke from Texaco in 1991 and ran the station as it was always intended to be run, as a full service gas station. King’s patrons not only had their gas tanks filled by an attendant but also had their windshield cleaned, tire pressure and engine fluid levels checked. At King’s one could also get a flat tire repaired, balanced and mounted, purchase new tires or get a state inspection on their vehicles. Service was a proud tradition. 

After Mickey survived life saving heart surgery, Mary Ann joined him at the station keeping the books, greeting customers and building relationships while Mickey kept the King tradition of a full service station with genuine small town attention to customer service. He loved the station that bore his family name, he was proud of its heritage, tradition and he loved having his wife by his side. 

They were inseparable. They did everything together, including suffering heart maladies together. Before either had a medical procedure it was their strong desire for the other to be right there to say “goodbye” before being taken to surgery and God willing “hello” in recovery. This was as important as wishing each other “good morning” everyday knowing full well each day is a gift, not because they got to live another day, because they got to love each other another day.

He never told Mary Ann “no,” he just said “I’d rather you not do that.” Mickey would often say, “Though we’re together 24 hours a day, I still have things to tell you.” This year was a special year for Mickey and Mary Ann. Mickey had turned 70 years old, the station was family owned for 75 years and this September, they would have been married 50 years. Joni Mitchell sang “something’s gained in living everyday.” Mickey and Mary Ann lived everyday, more importantly they loved everyday.

Mickey King always had a comeback, a quick wit, a joke and smile. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was so proud of the time he had to work side by side with his son like he did with his father. He knew well the magnificence of the father-daughter bonds and the energy a grandpa or “Pappa” could gather in entertaining his beloved grandson and sharing interests along the way.

Rufus Monroe “Mickey” King is survived by his loving wife, Mary Ann King of Gonzales; daughter, Rhonda Mia King of Gonzales; son and daughter-in-law, Rufus Melvin “Trey” King II and Gabrielle of Floresville; grandson, Rufus Monroe King II of Floresville; beloved domino group, Ross and CJ Hendershot, Donnie and Elaine Brzozowski, Frank and Suzanne Benes, David and Sue Withers and Greg and Debbie Tieken; special friends, Borrer and Kathleen, Burns, Dr. Terry Eska, Dr. William Craig, Dr. Commie and Donna Hisey, Pierre and all his customers. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A graveside service was held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 1 in the Odd Fellows Cemetery.  Memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice. Services are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home