Weldon J. King, 82, passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Sunday, September 12th, in his home in Santa Fe, Texas.

Weldon was born in Authon, Texas, on September 20th, 1938 to parents Pat and Inez King. As a young boy, Weldon excelled academically by eavesdropping on the lessons of the higher grade levels in his one-room schoolhouse, an act that resulted in his early graduation from high school at the young age of fifteen. After high school, Weldon worked as a ranch hand in Guthrie, Texas, and, at King Family Slating Rink, owned by his parents, he was known as one of the best roller skaters around. Perhaps his first great love, however, was bull riding in the rodeo and, one night, when he won first place, he took his prize money and married the greatest love of his life, Ann Shewmake, to whom he was married for 61 years.

In his life, Weldon served in the army, earned an MBA in business administration at Texas Christian University, and owned and operated two successful real estate businesses, King Country Realty, as a broker, and as an appraiser with Weldon King and Associates, a position he held until the very end of his life. In 1982, Weldon relocated his family to from Mineral Wells, TX, to Houston, where he was instrumental in launching the real estate program at University of Houston-Downtown. As a result of his work at UHD, he achieved the distinction of tenure, and upon his retirement from teaching, was awarded a proclamation of Weldon King Day in Houston by mayor Kathy Whitmire. In his later years, Weldon became an author and published several books about his life as a boy in Authon, Texas, and the life of settlers in the old west.

Weldon was preceded in death by his parents, Pat and Inez King, and his siblings, Bette Carter and Bobby King. Weldon is survived by his devoted wife, Ann; his children, daughter Kathy Hardy and her husband, Richard, of Rock Springs, TX, son Bill King of Dallas,TX,  daughter

Lori King Brown of Houston, TX, and son Matt King and his wife, Ocean-Irie, of Santa Fe, TX; his grandchildren, Amber Smith of Alvin, TX, Meredith Vogel of Dallas, TX, Madeline Brown of Houston, TX, and Coral, Hali, and Cannon King of Santa Fe, TX; his great-grandchildren, Bobby Vogel, Jr.,  and Peyton, Marlee, and Sadie Smith; and, last, but not least, four four-legged best friends, Dolly, Marley, Charlie, and Jack.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, September 18th, 2021, at Arcadia Baptist Church, located at 14828 Highway 6, in Santa Fe, Texas. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. to be followed by a service at 2 p.m..