Donald B. "Skip" King

Donald Byrum King - Obituary

February 2nd, 1950 – July 23rd, 2024

Donald Byrum King, known to all as Skip, passed away peacefully on Tuesday July 23rd, 2024, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.  He was surrounded by his loving family. 

Skip was the 2nd child born to his parents Donald and Nathalie King of Norfolk, VA.  He was born on Wheelus Air Force Base in Tripoli, Libya, North Africa.   Skip was named before his birth by the many navy friends on the base who constantly asked, “when is the little Skipper to be born?”  Upon his birth, his parents and his sister Joyce called him Skipper.

Skip grew up in Maidenhead England and Norfolk Virginia.  He attended The Windsor School in the UK, Coleman Place Elementary, Blair Middle School and was a graduate of Mathew Fontaine Maury High School in Norfolk, VA, class of 1968.  He attended Old Dominion University and graduated with a BS in Sociology in 1972. 

As a boy Skip had fond memories of his playground with friends which was the woods near Military Highway and his neighborhood of Poplar Hall in Norfolk, VA.  Skip played little league baseball for Farm Fresh, and youth football.  In his teens he spent much of his time surfing the waves of Virginia Beach and Nag’s Head, NC.  Skip showed very early signs of the entrepreneur he would become, as a successful paper boy, winning the annual paper sales account top honor numerous times.  He was extremely hard working in his youth, having held variety of jobs including:

Virginia Beach lifeguard, switch board operator, mason laborer, roofing tar hauler, screen printing, funeral home florist, wholesaler, delivery driver, yellow cab driver, butcher’s assistant, activities therapist, server at Johnny Harms Lagoon Marine Red Hook St. Thomas, small business owner, yacht broker and manager of IYC Red Hook St. Thomas (1978-2024)

During the Vietnam War Skip joined the US Marine Corp Reserves, serving his country honorably from 1969 - 1972

Upon his college graduation, Skip worked for 5 years as an activity therapist at Tidewater Psychiatric Hospital, a career he truly enjoyed, where he made many lifelong friends.  In 1977 Skip became very interested in sailing.  He read Chapman’s Guide to Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling from cover to cover, bought a 50’ wooden boat named Landfall and sailed from Virginia to Florida, as Skip would say “by the seat of his pants and with much assistance from the Coast Guard”.

He eventually sold the boat in FL but there was no doubt that Skip had been bitten by the sailing bug.  With $300 in his pocket, he decided to relocate to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, the sailing capitol of the Caribbean, where he hoped he could start a career in the sailing industry.  Skip hit the pavement looking for a job and walked into a company called Island Yachts in Red Hook.  When the owner, Robin Luke, heard his familiar Virginia accent he said, where are you from boy?  Skip replied, Norfolk VA.  Robin asked “where did you attend school”, and Skip replied, “Old Dominion”. Robin had been a professor at Old Dominion prior to arriving in the USVI.  He hired Skip instantly and they became colleagues and the dearest of friends.  In 1982 Skip took over the company from Robin & Linda Luke when they were called back to the States.  He was joined by his wife Andrea in 1989 after Hurricane Hugo and together, for the next 36 years, they would run one of the most respected yacht charter companies in the Caribbean.   

Skip was a man known for his friendly, calm nature, and his wonderful sense of humor.  In business Skip was well respected as a leader in the Virgin Island Marine Industry, and for his business integrity and sailing prowess.  He took great pride in providing his charter guests with an exceptional Virgin Island sailing experience and the results were decades of an incredible repeat business, with loyal customers inspired by Skip’s sailing acumen, many who became dear friends.  Skip was an avid yacht racer for over four decades, having won many regatta championships with his best friend and racing partner Mike Williams, including two first place class finishes in the International Rolex regatta and several summer series championships.  He was an avid and active tennis player.

Skip’s most cherished life accomplishment was raising his children, Nathan and Grace.  He was a loving and devoted father, actively exposing and teaching his children about all the healthy & unique opportunities available to them as islands kids.  He instilled in his children the importance of ceasing the day, living life in truth and integrity, with God as their guiding light. 

He cherished life. He loved his family more than anything and his family loved him the same. Through his kind nature and enjoyable personality, he earned a deep and loyal friend network that any man would envy. He touched many lives very deeply.

Skip was a diligent worker, a savvy businessman, a problem solver, a crafty athlete, a boat handling savant, a patriot who loved his country, a dog lover, a man of strong faith in his Lord, and a genuinely good person with an adventurous spirit, a steadfast resolve, and a kind and easy-going nature.  His practical approach and ability to always find the humor and irony on the roller coaster of life was exemplary.   

His most revered accomplishment was as a supportive and loving husband to Andrea.  Their romance began in 1988, they were married at St. Thomas Reformed Church in 1991 and they shared an incredible partnership as teammates in business and in life for 37 years.  Skip and Andrea never tired of facing the challenges of their career and personal life together, drawing inspiration and strength from one another every day, every step of the way.  It was a love story they both knew to be a blessing from God, and they believed they would endure anything if they remained by each other’s side.  This devotion to one-another never waned and sustained them both throughout Skip’s unexpected illness and untimely passing. Skip and Andrea were, unequivocally, each other’s biggest fans.

Skip is survived by Andrea King, his loving and devoted wife of 33 years, his daughter Grace Isabella King of St. Thomas, VI, his son Nathan King and daughter-in-law Lauren Cryan of Wilmington, NC, and other loving family members: sister Joyce Humphrey’s and brother in-law Larry Humphreys of Seaford VA, Nephew Ross Humphreys and family of Seaford VA, Nephew Kevin Humphreys and family of Seaford, VA, Sister and brother in law Elise and Ty Taylor of Rindge, NH, Nephews Jack and Christopher Taylor of Rindge, NH, Brother and sister-in-law Ted and Kelly Weygand of Attleboro, MA as well as many other nieces and nephews to include: Michael, Sarah and Jay Weygand, Christian, Meg, Olivia, Sam and Ben Kiley, and many cousins and extended family in Amarillo TX and Virginia.

Skip is also survived by many dear friends who he considered his family;  T. Lynch L’Homme, Mike Williams and Vicki Jones, Marti Jones, Eileen and Michael Murphy, Kevin and Mary Joe Knoop, Jim Rumfelt and Anechy Padron, Robert & Janeen Massenberg, Dick Shirley and Wolf Vincent, as well as many Virgin Island friends and colleagues, Virginia friends and many current and former IYC yacht owners who have become family.  Skip is survived by his loving island rescue dogs Mani and Brock. 

A celebration of life will be held on Skip and Andrea’s 33rd wedding anniversary, at the St. Thomas Reformed Church, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands on August 24th, 2024, at 10:00am.  On Sunday August 25th Skip’s ashes will be spread over the Virgin Island waters that he sailed and loved so well.  A Celebration of Skip’s life will be held in his home state of Virginia in the fall, with details to be determined.

In Lieu of flowers, we encourage donations be made to www.pancan.org in Skip’s name, to help support further research to help others afflicted with the deadly disease of pancreatic cancer.  A scholarship fund in Skip’s name will be established for a high school senior in the Eudora Kean High School ROTC program, Red Hook St. Thomas.  Please visit www.warehamvillagefuneralhome.com

Here is Skip’s funeral service which was on Saturday 8/24/24. 

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?mibextid=oFDknk&ref=watch_permalink&v=888865323138860&rdid=zGvYNdjI24ZUclhs

  The service will start at about the 9 minute24 second  mark.

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