Background
Robert Lee King was born on December 15, 1923 in Auxvasse, Missouri. He joined SP in 1944 at El Paso, Texas as Secretary
to the Rio Grande Division Superintendent and rose through positions of increasing responsibility. Mr. King’s occupations
during 38 years of service for Southern Pacific Company also include: Trainmaster, Rio Grande Division (1948), Tucson Division
(1949) and Sacramento Division (1954), Assistant Superintendent, Salt Lake Division (1959) and Sacramento Division (1962),
Superintendent, Western Division, Oakland (1965), Assistant General Manager of the Operating Department, San Francisco headquarters
(1967), General Manager, San Francisco headquarters (1969), Vice-President, Traffic, San Francisco headquarters (1978), and
Senior Vice-President, Traffic (1982). While working for Southern Pacific, Mr. King completed Harvard Business School's
program for management development in December, 1961.
In 1945, Mr. King married Irma Ruth Rountree. The Kings had two children, Beverly and Bruce. The Kings were long-time members
of the Park Boulevard Presbyterian church in Oakland, where Mrs. King was President of the Women’s Association.
Mr. King died on November 27, 1982 at the age of 58.
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