Edward W. “Ed” Mullins, Jr. (Rho–South Carolina ’54) and George “Flynn” Bowie, Jr. (Rho–South Carolina ’86) worked to put together a plaque in recognition of Rho chapter’s most esteemed brother, A. “King Dixon II (Rho–South Carolina ’56).
King Dixon was an accomplished brother of Rho Chapter at the University of South Carolina. King grew up in Laurens, South Carolina. At Laurens high school he lettered in football, basketball, baseball and track. He was a Wiseman All-American in football and co-captain of the South team and outstanding player in North Carolina versus South Carolina Shrine Bowl. He was also co-captain of the North team in the South Carolina high school North-South game. He was an A student and president of the student body.
Following his high school graduation, King was recruited heavily by several colleges for a football scholarship and chose the University of South Carolina. He was selected most valuable player for three straight years. He was selected to the All–Atlantic Coast Conference second team in football and the all-ACC scholastic team in his senior year. He was also tri-captain of his team his senior year and was co-captain of the South team in the North South Shrine Game in Miami, Florida. A Phi Beta Kappa honor Society member, King graduated cum laude and was awarded the Algernon Sydney Sullivan award his senior year as an outstanding male graduate.
In the fall of 1959 , as a Marine lieutenant, he was named by the Washington DC Touchdown Club as the Outstanding Armed Forces Player of the Year. He is a member of three sports halls of fame: South Carolina, the University of South Carolina, and Laurens District 55 High School. After college King served in the Marines for 22 years and retired as a Lieut. Col. He served in combat in the Vietnam War as a reconnaissance officer and the Commanding Officer of the First Force Reconnaissance Company. In Vietnam, he earned a Bronze Star with combat v for Meritorious Service and the Navy Commendation Medal with combat v for Heroic Service, among other decorations.
King’s civilian career following retirement from the Marine Corps included work as executive director of the Laurens Family YMCA, as a vice president of The Palmetto Bank, and as VP of Alumni Affairs and Director of Athletics at the University of South Carolina. While King was Director of Athletics, the University of South Carolina joined the Southeastern conference. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina.
King consistently filled leadership positions focused in particular with youth, civic and philanthropic service. They included youth athletics; the Boy Scouts of America as a scoutmaster, President of the local counsel and silver beaver awardee; Dixie Youth Baseball; Rotary International as District Governor with multiple Paul Harris fellows; the Presbyterian Church as an Elder and Sunday school teacher; Laurens County Chamber of Commerce; the Laurens County Economic Development Corporation; State Street in Laurens and other service organizations. During his time in the Marine Corps King was honored by the South Carolina State Legislature for “contributions to your state” and by the Senate of Hawaii for “service to youth”. He was the recipient of the Order of the Palmetto for contributions and friendship to the state of South Carolina and her people. He was a man of strong faith who believed he was God’s servant and attributed most of his accomplishments –“to God be the glory!”
King was married for over 60 years to the former Augusta Lee Mason who he met in the third grade and who was Tri Delta and a KA Rose at the University of South Carolina and was the father of three married sons all of whom are Eagle Scouts. His son, Lee, was Number I at Rho Chapter in 1986. King has four grandchildren all of whom did well academically at and graduated from the University of South Carolina and the grandchildren would frequently enjoy family tailgates with King and Augusta and other friends and family at Gamecock football games.
