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Sunday, November 22, 2009
Final Respects
By Sean Olson
Journal Staff Writer
MORIARTY — About 2,000 friends, family and admirers, including former President Bill Clinton, gathered in the high school gym here Saturday morning to pay final respects to former Gov. Bruce King.
The three-term governor, who died Nov. 13 at age 85, was later buried alongside his wife, Alice, in the Stanley Cemetery, near their Estancia Valley ranch.
Clinton and the Rev. Russell C. Lee were the only speakers at the funeral service as mourners filled the basketball floor and bleachers to be reminded of King's integrity and kindly nature, as well as his folksy, outgoing ways.
"Every time I was with him in 31 years was a joy for me," said Clinton. "I never met anyone like Bruce King, ever. And I've known a lot of people all over the world."
Clinton said his own affable personality as a young politician paled in comparison to King's, who was known for his hearty greetings, handshakes and pats on the back.
"He made me look like a psychopathic shut-in," the former president joked.
Clinton said he first met King at a governors' conference in 1978, after he had just been elected governor in Arkansas and King was getting ready to begin a second term in New Mexico.
He and King were both early risers, Clinton said, and they would be the first governors getting to breakfast. Their friendship began over morning coffee, he said.
Clinton said he sought out time with King whenever possible over the years.
"I knew I would get a laugh and a lesson," Clinton said. "A lesson in politics and a lesson in life."
One lesson, the former president remembered, was the always unpretentious King telling him, "Politicians get into trouble when they forget it's a job."
Clinton said watching King interact with people with kindness and enthusiasm was a strange spectacle at first.
"Then I realized it was real," Clinton said. "Every bit of it was real, and he was like that with everybody."
After the eulogy, Clinton shooks hands with Gov. Bill Richardson, former Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and other prominent New Mexico leaders before taking his seat on a folding chair on the other side of the aisle, with the King family.
The former president sat next to New Mexico Attorney General Gary King, the former governor's son, Yolanda King, wife of Gary King, and Bill King, the former governor's other son. Gary King wore a neck brace because of back and neck surgery earlier this month.
Clinton noted that King's political career in Santa Fe, which included terms as a Santa Fe County commissioner and speaker of the state House, was partly enabled by his brothers, Sam King and former state Sen. Don King, staying home and running the King Brothers ranches. The two brothers sat behind the former president Saturday.
The Rev. Lee, who less than a year ago led the funeral service for Alice King in the same Moriarty High School gymnasium, called King a role model who showed vision, integrity and caring for others throughout his life.
"He was an example for all of us, (showing us) to live, to learn, to love," Russell said. The pastor portrayed King as a man with genuine interest and concern for the New Mexicans he served, never superior nor distant.
"He had a way of making everyone feel important," Lee said.
King had been suffering from heart problems and the loss of Alice King in December 2008, less than a year before his own death.
Gary King said last week that his family is "comforted by the thought that Bruce and Alice can be together once again."
The Moriarty High School Messengers sang "America the Beautiful." The Macedonia Baptist Choir performed "Power in the Blood" and "Walk Around Heaven." The audience joined in prayers.
People started entering the gym several hours before the service began. The room resembled more of a reunion than a funeral for the hour before the ceremonies started, as hundreds of people milled on the gym floor engaging in conversation and embraces.
The room grew more somber when the service began.
Russell and Clinton spoke on a platform above King, who lay flanked by the New Mexico flag, the American flag and a few, simple flower arrangements in front of the crowd.
The funeral drew a who's who of past and present New Mexico political leaders. In addition to Richardson and Domenici, those attending included: Lt. Gov. Diane Denish; former Govs. Garrey Carruthers, David Cargo, Toney Anaya and Gary Johnson; U.S. Reps. Harry Teague, Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich; and former ambassador to Spain Ed Romero.
Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall remained in Washington for a critical health care vote Saturday. Former Gov. Jerry Apodaca visited the Capitol Rotunda on Friday, when King lay in state.
Many in the crowd Saturday were people whom King had brought into public service, after his elections to four-year terms in 1970, 1978 and 1990 — from judges to governor's office aides who remained loyal over the years.
The service ended with a contingent of men from the State Police and Air Force leading King's casket from the gym, as one officer played "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipe.
After the ceremonies, Clinton had lunch and visited with customers at the Anaya family's El Comedor de Anayas restaurant in Moriarty, a longtime meeting place for New Mexico politicians and the King brothers' favorite place to gather for morning coffee.
Clinton said he had traveled to New Mexico alone as his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, had just returned to the U.S. the night before from a trip to Afghanistan.
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