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A Good Age: Quincy veteran goes the extra mile to help the eldest who have served

The Patriot Ledger - 10/12/2021

QUINCY - On the wall of John King's home in Houghs Neck are photos, discharge papers and other mementoes marking the service to this country given by King, his three brothers, a son, a nephew and three uncles.

"We all did our thing," King, 79, says proudly. He often looks at the wall, recalling details of the countries they traveled to and how all but one of the nine were in the Navy. The "black sheep," he says in jest, served honorably aboard an ice breaker in the Coast Guard.

King's devotion to the military branch that shaped him in the 1960s and gave him the skills for a career in computer sales, runs deep. He carries on by providing rides to other veterans who need a way to get to medical appointments, food shopping and other needs.

Along the way, he might stop by a cemetery so someone can visit a family member's resting spot or buy groceries at the store. He picked up on a hint by one rider and took him by the former Squantum Naval Air Station in North Quincy where the elder veteran had been stationed. "He was there when blimps were there and wanted to go back," King said.

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Another Weymouth veteran, Lou, in his 90s, delights in having breakfast together and insists on paying for it.

"Few of my riders are under 90 and they gave so much to their country, it's time to give back," King said Sunday at his home in Houghs Neck, just two streets away from where he grew up. Weather obliging, he eats all three meals on his front porch, looking out over the water of Hingham Bay.

"John is just an all around great guy who has befriended a number of his riders," Robert Pierson, director of the Norfolk County RSVP Volunteer Program, said. King has been driving veterans to medical appointments for four years with the Rides for Vets program and has helped 14 people from Quincy, Weymouth and Braintree get to VA hospitals in West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain and Brockton.

"This is what we owe them, because life today is what it is because of what these guys did," King said.

"You see some guys in very tough shape and you feel you are doing something, you make a difference. They have difficulties getting around, although one is 92 and gets around like he's 22."

He signs up to drive four times a month but adds more if emergencies come up.

During COVID-19 King brought extra food to a 99-year-old Milton veteran, Arthur, and then planned a car parade of more than 40 people, including police and fire, with the veteran's case manager to mark his 100th birthday. It was a huge hit.

King graduated from Quincy High School in 1960, served in the Navy from 1962-1966, worked for a few small technology firms, IBM in Washington, D.C., Wang Laboratories in Lowell and then held a series of jobs. His mother had nine children and still found time to volunteer for a Catholic organization; his father, who served in Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression, worked both at Fore River Shipyard and in construction. "They were wonderful people," he said.

He has three sons who live in Hull, Stow and San Francisco and five grandchildren.

A self-described "natural schmoozer," he enjoys talking to people, worked on the Hingham to Boston commuter ferry as the bartender until 2020 and has an easy rapport with his senior riders.

RSVP is affiliated with the AmeriCorps Seniors Program, the federal agency for volunteerism and national service. The volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to helping others and make a positive difference in their community.

Norfolk County RSVP needs new drivers in Quincy, Braintree and Weymouth to help meet the growing demand of giving free rides to veterans in Norfolk County. Call 781-329-5728 for more info. Mileage reimbursement is available.

RSVP of Plymouth County (RSVP) is the Plymouth County chapter of AmeriCorps Seniors and managed by Old Colony Elder Services in Brockton. Courtney Krajeski is volunteer coordinator. You can reach her at 508-584-1561 ext. 355, by cell at 774-283-4227 or by email at ckrajeski@ocesma.org.

LANTANA FAREWELL - Staff at South Shore Elder Services in Braintree are feeling both excited and nostalgic to be holding their 43rd annual meeting and awards Wednesday, Oct. 13 at The Lantana in Randolph before the wedding venue reportedly will close at the end of the month.

The banquet hall in Randolph has graciously hosted many of the agency's functions and has been an ideal location because a large ballroom is on the entry level, easily accessible, suited to large numbers. One of the most enjoyable events was the annual ombudsman program's luncheon for the 20-plus nursing homes the agency covers on the South Shore.

The Hart family started a catering company out of their home in Roslindale, grew rapidly after moving to Dorchester and in 1968 built The Lantana in Randolph. They will be missed greatly.

Reach Sue Scheible at sscheible@patriotledger.com.

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