Thomas Peary King, 77, of Murfreesboro, TN, died peacefully at home on January 12, 2016 after succumbing to cancer.

He was born in Aurora, IL, on July 30, 1938, the son of the late Ernest and Helen Bridge King. He was one of four children. He married Bernice Marie Mayes on October 9, 1959, who survives.

Mr. King was raised on the King Family Farm in Plainfield, IL. As a child he contracted polio and was told he might not walk again. He was a member of the Oswego, IL, track, baseball and basketball teams and the Lipscomb College track team. He graduated from Oswego High School in Oswego, IL, and attended David Lipscomb College and the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. Mr. King worked as a Mechanical Engineer for General Electric for 30 years and many of his manufacturing inventions were patented by the company. After retiring, he consulted for Contour Medical Systems. One of his great joys was working on the farm and "playing in the dirt." A championship plowman, he taught each of his children the art of competition plowing and they had many championships to show for it. He was an avid gardener who was known for his sweet corn.

A faithful Christian, Mr. King served as a deacon at the Northfield Boulevard church of Christ in Murfreesboro, TN. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Bernice Mayes King, of Murfreesboro, TN, and their three children; daughter, Sharon Harris and her husband Tracy of Rockvale, TN; son, Mark King and his wife Christine of Bloomington, IL; daughter, Sandra Bullington and her husband James of Athens, AL. Nine grandchildren: Lauren Harris Curtis and her husband Daniel, Allison Harris, Catherine Harris, Caroline Harris, Elizabeth King, Emily King, Julia King, Ginger Bullington, and Stuart Bullington. One brother, James King and his wife Ann of Kenosha, WI; two sisters-in-law, Louise King of Lake Forest, IL; and, Rosemarie King of Oswego, IL. Several nieces and nephews.

Mr. King was preceded in death by his parents and two of his brothers, Paul King and David King.

Visitation will be Thursday from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Woodfin Memorial Chapel. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Friday at Woodfin Memorial Chapel with David Bunting and Gary Patton officiating. Burial will be 2:00 p.m. Friday in Restlawn Memory Gardens in Franklin, KY. Pallbearers will be Stuart Bullington, Daniel Curtis, James Bowers, Jim Cunningham, Wayne Davenport, John Grimmett, Roger Alsup, and Bruce Higdon.

An online guestbook is available for the King family at www.woodfinchapel.com.