Charles "Chip" King

Father to three wonderful sons, live music maven, accomplished guitarist, nick-namer extraordinaire, and lover of the moment, Charles (“Chip”) James King IV went to the other side on August 5 th , 2023, far too soon.

Chip was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on March 9, 1968, where he spent his first 2 years before moving to DeFuniak Springs, FL. From that point forward, Chip was a “Yak”-er, a beautiful Northwest Florida boy who “never took a bad picture.” Chip grew up on Lake Stanley, learned to slalom at six, had a hobo themed birthday party at the Destin Yacht Club and cruised town in a dubiously cool-enough for Chip Suzuki Samurai. He graduated from Walton High School in 1986 and after a brief foray with higher education joined the Navy. Between 1988 and 1992 he was posted aboard the USS Coral Sea and the USS Theodore Roosevelt and served honorably in the First Gulf War.

On top of it all, Chip was cool, really cool. He was magnetic, people loved him, ladies loved him, and they all naturally gravitated towards him. He was always entertaining, funny, lived in the moment, and made good times better. He was hilarious, quick witted, sarcastic, almost never serious, loved live music, loved the Florida coast, loved being on a boat, loved his mother, and loved spending holidays-especially Thanksgiving-with his family. He loved being with people, not all people, but genuine positive people that were up for a good time and wanted to celebrate the now. Chip was happy-go-lucky, always had a “Let’s Go” attitude, and was up for any adventure at the drop of a hat.

The first born of his generation, Chip was a big brother and the oldest cousin in a family where cousins count. Everyone looked up to him, they saw the cool, they wanted to be like him, and suffered the nicknames and the sarcasm, because they weren’t always on the wrong side of it. To be on his side and watch others twitch and squirm was one of the great joys of being with Chip. Friends make fun, friends pick, friends and family have repartee. Chip didn’t just have repartee, he had “re-Partay” and anyone who knew him can not only hear him saying it but see his signature half-smirk spreading across his face at the thought.

Chip’s proudest accomplishment and greatest love was for his three sons: Cameron, Carson, and Griffin. His favorite place was wherever they were, and he smiled most when he was with them. He can be proud to leave a legacy of three fine young men who will go on to great things. Through his life he showed them that family matters, family gathers, family loves, family cries, and family savors their moments together. He truly cherished his boys.

Whether playing his guitar, demonstrating an encyclopedic knowledge of bands, songs, and lyrics, or going to concerts, Chip’s life centered around music. He was passionate about local music, especially Cadillac Willy, Forrest Williams Band, and Gunner. Outside of Northwest Florida’s finest, Chip loved concerts, big ones, small ones, good ones, bad ones, hair bands, jam bands, and above all Widespread Panic. Lots, and lots of Widespread Panic. Lots! Maybe... a little too much. Maybe, more than anyone else in the whole world ever loved Widespread Panic. Nonetheless, his passion for music was deep, not unidimensional, and he shunned those whose musical taste lacked breadth. Chip simply loved “the adventure of live music.”

Chip spoke his own language with different nicknames, accents, and voices for everyone and anything. He was renowned for conferring nicknames, many not fit for public consumption, and if he hadn’t given you a nickname, he Chipified your name by pronouncing it in an odd voice or with a weird accent. There was “Kel-Bel”, “Mur”, “Sweaty Julie” and “Silent T”, steak was “steak- meat”, Vance was “Vance’s Pants”, and to her chagrin, Elizabeth was eternally “Lizzie”. His mother was either a declarative and mildly judgy, “Jaaanet” or more recently “Grand”, but in
his Grand voice. Chip’s Catherine is hard to spell phonetically but was kind of “Keeathryn” in a granny voice. Chip had a special way with words and because the way they were said was so individual, his voice will ring in our ears forever.

He was an accomplished guitarist, a trivia master, loved working out, shot a mean game of pool, and would gladly form an air-band with his sons, play ping pong with his cousins, nieces, and nephews, or Twister with his oldest friends, for hours on end. He loved a McGuire’s pork chop, slaw dogs from Ed’s Tastee Freeze, fried chicken, chocolate, and almost anything sweet. He created his own signature drink, an eponymous variant of a White Russian that he called the “Chippa”. It was gross, it was hard to watch, Chip’s diet was an assault on the senses, it was accented with a range of supplements, and he incredulously suffered every major symptom of diabetes, all the while insisting that he didn’t have it.

Chip was a good time whose life was a celebration of friends and moments. For Chip, right here, right now, wherever he was, is what mattered. We can all see him walking up to us, swirling both hands through the air and saying, “THIS, is what it’s all about!” Chip didn’t sweat the small stuff. Not at all. In fact, he probably considered most of the big stuff to be small stuff. Friends far and wide agree that spending time with Chip was “the best time you could ever have.”

At his core, Chip was a kind soul with a good heart. He liked to help people in need, bring them food, make cash rain on local bands, and was always happy to include others in his plans. “There was no feeling sorry for yourself around Chip”. Chip was a big hugger whose embrace had impact. To his aunts, Chip’s hugs made them whole, “made me feel like an aunt”, and were his most powerful outward expression of love. Chip was non-conventional and loved his non- conventional lifestyle. Quite simply, Chip was Chip. Sometimes it felt like he was “taking a break” this time around. He would routinely fall asleep on the sofa surrounded by friends or family and never lifted a finger to help at Thanksgiving. He relished triggering people by saying "irregardless" --which he knew was not a word. He was loyal, a good friend, made time spent together lighter and more fun, and his humor was contagious.

Typically informal, Chip was a conscientious dresser whose wardrobe celebrated his musical adventures. He curated an extensive collection of T-Shirts, mostly bands and concerts, meticulously cared for, diligently laundered, and always neatly folded, a nod to his naval discipline. One of the greatest manifestations of his informality was the knack he had for undermining pretension in others, especially his mother and sister. He and his stepfather Bob were unrivaled in this multi-generational family past-time and are no doubt plotting on the other side.

Chip is preceded in death by his great grandmother Rubye Holland Burton, grandparent’s Mary Carolyn & Charles King of DeFuniak Springs, FL, Coo & Lamar McLeod of Jackson, AL, his stepfather, Bob Windsor, and Winston the Wonder dog. He is survived by his three sons, Cameron, Carson, and Griffin King of Santa Rosa Beach, FL, his mother Janet McLeod Windsor of DeFuniak Springs, FL, his sister and her family Catherine, Wilbur, Mary Lamar, Vance, and Lee Matthews of San Antonio, TX, many loving aunts, uncles, and cousins, and a multitude of friends, far and wide.

Honorary pallbearers are his cherished friends and cousins: Beth Brock, Kelly Beth Wells Horton, Mary Chris Murray, Rhonda & Shorty Murray, Joy & Scott Brady, Davis Posey, April Oliverio, Kiki & Cory Herrman, Michael Lyons, Heather Newsome, Woody Spearman, Louis Antoon, Lizzie Horton, Allan McLeod, Drew Scogin, Will Scogin, and Anna Catherine Scogin.

To honor and reflect upon Chip’s life, events will be held at various times and locations: Friday, August 11th at Red Fish Taco in Santa Rosa Beach, Sunday, August 13th from 2:00-4:00 PM at the Burton Chapel at the First Methodist Church in DeFuniak Springs, at an upcoming concert (TBD), and a family service later this year.

To honor Chip’s legacy, go see a live band, pick up some trash on the beach, and if you ever
stop to hear a musician play, put some money in their jar, or simply stop and enjoy the
moment.

Memorials may be made to First Methodist Church, 88 Circle Drive, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433
or Alaqua Animal Refuge, 155 Dugas Way, Freeport, FL 32439.