Funeral service held for Bruce King

MORIARTY, N.M (KRQE) - A who’s who of New Mexico politics was on hand Saturday for former governor Bruce King’s funeral at Moriarty High School.

There were many remembrances, prayers and praise for King.

King died last week at the age of 85.

The former governor was a given a warm New Mexican farewell at a funeral service that he insisted should be simple and religious.

King’s family pastor, Dr. Russell Lee, led the service.

“He was a person of vision, a person of integrity, and had a caring heart for people and there well being. He was an example to all of us that we make our aim to live, love, to learn and to leave a legacy,” Lee said.

Former president Bill Clinton was a 31-year friend of Kings. He gave the only other remarks.

Clinton described his first introduction with King at a governor's conference in the late 70's.

“He put my arm around me, and by the time he got through hugging me and I wanted to check to see if my billfold was still in my back pocket,” Clinton said.

The former president said King had a self-described genetic defect; he was missing the resentment gene. He added that King made up for it with a double dose of the gratitude gene.

“People say his kind of politics was out of fashion. I don't know about that,” Clinton said. “If he was your friend it didn't matter if you had one vote or 100 million, he'd be there until the last dog died.”

After the hour long funeral service, King's casket was led out in procession with family, friends and the New Mexican flag.

He was buried in a rural plot next to his wife Alice King, just north of Stanley, N.M.