Stephen King Obituary

On June 26, 2025, Stephen Best King, 94, "returned home to that God who gave life" Alma 40:11
Stephen was born March 8, 1931 in Salt Lake City Utah to Ray and Irma Best King where his father had temporarily gone seeking employment to take care of his family as so many others did in those challenging times. Upon returning to the Lost River Valley, he was raised on the family farm. He did his share of work on the farm and often spoke of early experiences with the teams and caring for stock. He grew to love farming and farmed with his father and brother Paul for years. They raised potatoes, grain, and alfalfa and ran a large band of sheep. He later continued with his son Stephen.
He attended school in Moore up through the 11 grade. He remembered walking to school with family or neighbor children, sharing turns on a bicycle with his sister Mary, or on the "school bus" wagon pulled by a team. He particularly enjoyed playing Basketball in high school. He graduated in 1949 as part of the first graduating class of the newly formed Butte High School.
After High school he attended college at the University of Utah. He then served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints in the Central States Mission, primarily in Indiana. Following that he served in the US army. He spent much of that time in Germany training crews on the "twin-forty" Anti-aircraft gun. His farming background served him well there as he was often called on to back the gun or trailers in tricky areas. After the service he attended BYU in Provo during which time he met the young woman he would marry, Elva Spencer. They were married June 21, 1957, in the Salt Lake Temple.
He and Elva started their marriage in an trailer without running water. They later built the home at the current residence, living in the basement first and developing it in phases over the years. They raised seven children there on the farm. He loved to farm and worked into his early 90's.
He was a firm believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ and served in a number of capacities. Some of his favorites were as a teacher of the youth and as a temple worker and coordinator. He served a second mission with Elva in the Rapid City South Dakota mission. Most recently he served as the Stake Patriarch for the Moore Idaho Stake.
Of his immediate family he was preceded in death by his parents Ray and Irma and step-mother Estella, older brothers Charles (Marjorie) and Paul (Marilyn), and a sister Mary (Brooks Buxton).
He is survived by his wife Elva, Children Stephen K (Lori), Jordan (Carlene), Lance (Sheila), Leslee, Carson (Susan), Tammy (Rick Miller), and Echo (Chima Odunze), and "unofficially", Shawn Steenson (Tara), and many beloved Grandchildren, and Great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Moore Stake Center, 3100N 3350 W Moore, Idaho. A viewing will be held on Friday, July 4th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the church and also Saturday morning from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Interment will be in the Lost River Cemetery under the direction of the Anderson Family Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, would you like to consider contributing to the LDS Humanitarian Aid or to a charity of your choice.
A zoom link is provided for those who cannot attend. https://zoom.us/j/91263989716