Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

February 25, 2024

CHARLOTTE – Gene N. King, 93, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend of many passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 25, 2024, at the Levine & Dickson Hospice House at Southminster.  His was a life well lived, leaving many legacies, and blessed by countless extraordinary relationships with friends and family.

Gene was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN.  In 1951, he trained in the U.S. Army at Camp Custer in Kalamazoo, MI and at Ft. Lee Virginia.  He qualified for the Quartermaster Leadership School at Ft. Lee, was the school’s top graduate, and was selected to teach there for two years.  The experience changed his life providing him leadership and public speaking skills he used during his entire business career.

Gene and his wife Helen were high school classmates in Indianapolis and moved to Charlotte in 1954 as newlyweds.  He relocated here to a stock brokerage with NY Stock Exchange firm Thompson McKenna.  As an entrepreneur, he led a group of investors serving as president of Telephone Answering Service, Inc. for 22 years.  He grew the company into Contact, Inc. serving 11 southeastern cities with 20 answering service offices and one radio paging service.  As property owners on Hilton Head Island for over 40 years, Gene and Helen spent much of their retirement years there until moving to Southminster in 2009.

Gene served as a co-founding parent of Providence Day School in 1970 and served 12 years on the Board of Trustees, serving as chairman for six years.  He served as president of the answering service national trade association in the 70’s, and chairman of Metrolina National Bank for four years until it’s merger.  A resident of Charlotte’s Southminster community, he served recently as the board resident trustee of Southminster for six years.  Additionally for six years, he served as chairman of the Men’s Club and was honored to be named in 2019 as Southminster Distinguished resident of the year.

Gene touched the lives of everyone he met throughout his life including all the recent caregivers and hospital staff in these last months.  His enthusiasm, love for people and good nature will be sorely missed by his many friends and family. 

Gene is survived by his wife of almost 70 years, Helen; children, Kathie Dyer (Bill) of Charlotte, Paul King (Kirsten) of Collierville, TN, and Carol King (Kathy Gray) of Charlotte and his three grandchildren, Kelli Dyer Nunn (Michael), William P. Dyer V and Elizabeth Dyer of Charlotte. He was predeceased by his youngest daughter, Gail Elaine King.  He was looking forward to the birth of his first great-grandchild later this spring.

A celebration of his life will be held at 4:30 PM on Friday, March 1, 2024, Southminster with his daughter-in-law, Rev. Kirsten King officiating.  The family will receive friends following the service. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be offered in memory of Gene to The Southminster Community Fund, 8919 Park Road, Charlotte, NC. 28210.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.