Longtime North Charleston City Councilman and Park Circle resident Bob King dies at 90 (2024)

NORTH CHARLESTON— Longtime city councilman, Robert "Bob" Norman King, who spent a combined 54 years stewarding the community as a public servant and pursuing a vision for improving his Park Circle district, died April 26. He was 90 years old.

Fellow city councilmembers remember King as a pillar of the community.

"He definitely loved the city of North Charleston and dedicated a large part of his life to serving the citizens," Councilman Kenny Skipper said.

King served on City Council for 25 years until he chose not to run for reelection last fall. He was first elected to council in 1998 during a special election to fill a vacant spot.

King previously told The Post and Courierhe is a "full-time councilman." He was easily accessible to constituents by phone and willing to meet with neighbors in person to talk about their concerns.

King did not hold back from voicing his viewpoints during council meetings. During his first city council meeting in 1998, he was armed with questions about city-issued credit cards. This was not a man to ease carefully into the job.

Over the years he often opposed then-Mayor Keith Summey on certain issues, but the two men forged a familiar and productive relationship, according to a Post and Courier article.

"He had this unique way about himself," District 10 Councilman Michael Brown said. "He's more of a jokester, but he gets the work done."

King came to City Council with experience — he served as a Charleston County councilman, the county's register of deeds and a municipal judge for the city before running for the city council seat.

Dorothy Williams, a former councilwoman first elected in 1991, said she had some "back and forth" with King when they were on council together, but they were the best of friends.

She considered King a mentor, even though she joined council several years ahead of him. Williams said she would ask him to explain difficult topics, such as the city's budget, and chose to sit next to him in case a question came up.

"He was like a role model to me," Williams said.

Both King and Williams retired from their councilmember positions at the end of 2023.

"Bob's decades of service shaped our city in ways that will benefit generations to come," wrote Mayor Reggie Burgess in a statement. "His passion for our community's growth and his dedication to public service were unmatched."

King, a Park Circle native, graduated from North Charleston High School and served in the Army. He went on to graduate from The Citadel. He was commissioned in the Army Reserves where he served as a commanding officer for the 942nd Transportation Company in Charleston, an instructor for the South Carolina National Guard and leader of annual reserve training across the country. He was an honorary commander of Joint Base Charleston.

King had an unwavering dedication to the United States military, making an effort to honor those who served. In 2007, he organized a trip for World War II veterans living in North Charleston to travel to Washington, D.C., to visit the Iwo Jima Memorial.

King raised his family in Park Circle alongside his wife of over 65 years, Jean Mitchum King. He was an active member of North Charleston United Methodist Church.

Over the last quarter-century, he represented the Park Circle district during its transition from vacant lots and abandoned buildings to a bustling neighborhood with locally owned restaurants and shops.

He was an advocate for managing traffic in the growing area and supporting infrastructure projects, such as creating bike lanes.

"My fingerprints are all over this district," King told The Post and Courier in 2019 during his final city council campaign. He was also known for supporting projects outside of his district, anything that promoted the betterment of the city, Skipper said.

At the end of 2023, the city unveiled its huge investment in the Park Circle district. The $20 million renovation project in the center of Park Circle's roundabout features an inclusive park, farmers market pavilion, green space and a community center.

Last fall, city leaders dedicated the community center to King to honor his commitment to the city and acknowledge his legacy in the Park Circle community.