Bobby Joe King

Bobby Joe King, known to most as Bob or Bobby, was a man who worked hard and, in his younger years, played just as hard. Family and close friends sometimes affectionately called him “Bobby Joe” when they really wanted to get his attention.

Bobby was a fighter from an early age. A childhood illness left him severely hearing impaired, and he underwent several surgeries in hopes of improving his hearing, but unfortunately, none were successful. Despite the challenges he faced, Bobby continued to work hard, build friendships, and live life on his own terms.

Bobby dedicated 45 years of his working life to PepsiCo, retiring after a long career as a route salesman and warehouseman. Throughout those years, he made friends all across central Oklahoma while traveling his routes. He had a natural ability to connect with people, and the friendships he built along the way remained a lasting part of his life.

Retirement didn't mean leaving Pepsi behind. He continued that connection by collecting and selling Pepsi memorabilia through eBay, sharing his passion with collectors and customers across the country.

In 2009, Bobby suffered an unimaginable loss when his beloved wife, Shirlee Ann King, died in a propane explosion that also left him critically injured. Bobby and Shirlee had married as teenagers—he was 17, and she was just 15. Although their paths eventually separated through divorce, life brought them back together after more than 20 years apart. Following Bobby's cancer scare and lung lobectomy in 1993, they reunited and began a new chapter together.

Bobby and Shirlee shared a love of travel and enjoyed many trips together, primarily taking bus tours that carried them from coast to coast. Bobby often proclaimed that Shirlee was the love of his life. Losing her was a profound heartbreak, made even more devastating by the circumstances of her death and his own critical injuries. Once again, Bobby faced tremendous adversity, drawing on the fighting spirit that had carried him through life's many challenges.

Despite the devastating loss and his own serious injuries, Bobby made a remarkable recovery, thanks in large part to the loving care and support of his daughters, Julie and Debbie, who stayed with him and helped him through those difficult months. True to his determined nature, within just six months, he was rebuilding the home he had lost in the explosion.

Never one to sit still for long, Bobby soon returned to traveling, driving throughout the southern United States to rebuild his eBay memorabilia business and visit friends and family. He also enjoyed memorable adventures with his daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Jeff Jacobson. Together, the three traveled to major league baseball stadiums from San Diego to Cincinnati, pursuing the goal of attending a game at every major league stadium. These trips gave Bobby even more opportunities to travel, spend time with family, and make lasting memories.

As the years went by, Bobby gradually moved closer to family. He first settled into a home next door to his sister, Linda Laxton, in Seminole, Oklahoma, and later lived with his daughter, Julie Bender, in Shawnee. In 2020, he made another move, this time to Knoxville, Tennessee, where he lived with his daughter Lisa and son-in-law Jeff.

In 2023, as he began to experience the more devastating effects of Lewy body dementia, Bobby moved into an assisted living and memory care facility. Even there, his lifelong determination to stay busy never faded. He assigned himself jobs around the facility, taking charge of the courtyard's upkeep and gardening. He also pitched in with the aides' kitchen duties, sweeping floors and clearing tables, all while keeping the nurses and aides laughing and entertained with his one-liners and quick wit. He was always finding something to do—anything to keep the grass from growing under his feet!

At the time of his passing, Bobby was the proud patriarch of five generations of family. His legacy lives on through his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Bobby was the father of four children: Deborah Lemons, Lisa Jacobson, Julie Bender, and Bobby Joe Rawls. Deborah and Bobby Joe preceded him in death.

His grandchildren were Kimberly Dockery, Steve Lemons, Nicole Haston, Melanie Vance, Jarrod Bender, and one additional grandchild whose name will be added.

His six great-grandchildren were Anthony Lemons, Ashlynn Lemons, Paige Kosineski, Payton Kosineski, Michael Kosineski, and Callan Vance.

Through his great-grandson Anthony and Anthony's wife, Destiny Lemons, Bobby's family grew to include two great-great-grandchildren, Scout Lemons and Parker Lemons, extending his legacy into a fifth generation.

Through five generations of family, the friendships he built, and the countless memories he leaves behind, Bobby's life continues to touch those who knew and loved him.

A memorial service to honor Bobby's memory will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, at Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole, Oklahoma.

Please join his family as we say our final goodbye and celebrate the life and (mis)adventures of this extraordinary man. We invite you to share your favorite memory or story of Bobby as we remember the laughter, the journeys, and the many ways he touched our lives.