Donald (Don) Eugene King

Donald (Don) Eugene King was born December 25, 1940, in El Paso, Texas, the son of Elizabeth Anne Simms and George King. He passed away on January 27, 2025 in Taos, New Mexico.

Don graduated from Mt Diablo High School in 1958. He went on to earn his undergraduate degree at California College of Arts and Crafts, and his Master of Fine Arts from Mills College in 1964 (both in in Oakland, California). At Mills, he received the first teaching fellowship in Fine Arts.

Don married Judith Straus in 1961 in Oakland, CA. They divorced after having two children, Anna, and Zachary. Donald married his second wife, Therese (Teri) Douville in 1977 in Paw Paw, Michigan. 

Don began teaching as a Professor of Art at Hawaii University. In 1966, he became a Professor of Fine Art at Western Michigan University, where he was tenured and taught for the rest of his career. 

He retired as a Professor Emeritus of Art in 2000. Soon after, he and Teri moved to El Prado, New Mexico (outside Taos). In doing so, he fulfilled a life-long dream of residing in the Southwest, where his mother’s family originated and had been early homesteaders.

As an artist, Don specialized in painting and drawing. While he began exploring art as a child, he had his calling after being strongly influenced by a great-uncle’s painting. In high school, he won first prize at the Antioch County Fair. While at California College of Arts and Crafts, under a scholarship, he had several art shows, including at the San Francisco Museum of Art, and Richmond Art Center. Don focused on abstract, but ranged from pop-art to realism, always engaging in new approaches and outlooks. He is considered a unique and prolific artist, and his legacy of work brings joy to many. It was of great amazement to those who knew him well that Don was color-blind!

He is remembered with gratitude by hundreds of students he guided across decades. His family and friends will cherish memories of his long and unusual stories, whimsical side-eye, love for New Mexico vistas, living fully despite struggles with narcolepsy, determination to fix anything that was broken, and deep appreciation for all types of art and music (with special fondness for Bob Dylan and Van Gogh).

Don is survived by his wife Teri, daughter Anna S. King, his grandson George King, siblings Michael King, Mary Lynn Salisbury, and Lisa King, and their children and grandchildren.

Preceding Don in death is his son Zachary King.

The family will scatter his ashes in a private memorial at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, former Art department students from Western Michigan University are planning a scholarship fund to honor Don, and Paul Mergen, Professor of Art Emeritus (retired 2004). Contact Don’s daughter Anna at  annamainmailbox@gmail.com for further information. Donations may also be made to the ACLU.