Joel B. King

Joel B. King was born March 17, 1967 to the late Joseph King of Cleveland Ohio and Brownie D. Russell of Van Buren, Tennessee. Joel attended Cleveland Municipal School District and obtained his high school diploma from Collinwood High School.

While attending, Joel participated in high school athletics, playing both baseball and football as his primary sports. Joel aspired to become a professional football player from an early age but chose to enlist in the United States Air Force, where he became a Surgical Technician. While in the service, Joel traveled the world and visited multiple countries such as Japan and the Philippines. Once his term ended, he chose to leave the Air Force to raise his newborn son. While doing so, he continued his medical career as a Surgical Tech for Lake West Hospital and Cleveland Clinic for numerous years.

Eventually, he realized his passion for becoming an entrepreneur and left the medical field in search of better opportunities. In doing so, Joel invested in multiple business ventures that brought success to him and many people around him. Joel lived his life to the fullest as he continued to travel, party, and spend time with friends and family. Joel loved to fish and was a huge sports fanatic but a DIE-HARD Browns fan. He attended and watched many games and training camps. He even had the audacity to reach out to a professional player and tell him to step his game up!

He was the good kind of crazy – the kind that would make you laugh in disbelief, he truly was beloved by all. Joel was well put together, stayed clean-cut, and always dressed in the latest fashion. He was a true ladies' man and always kept good-smelling cologne. He loved sweets and would always say “You know I’m a junk food junkie.” Some of his happiest memories were going down to Georgia to be with his cousins in the summer while spending time with his Grandma Opal Lee. He said she would call out and ask “Joel you want some cream?" And he would call back and say, "Yeah grandma, I want some cream." He always made note of how country his Grandma was and how she called ice cream – cream.

The other fond memories he spoke of were of him and his brother, Waymon, fishing off a bridge while sneaking beers as kids in Tennessee and visiting the local watering hole for a swim. Joel was a God-fearing man and had a deep reverence for the Lord. He fought a long battle with terminal Cancer and outlived expectations. He was a strong MAN. Sadly, Joel lost his fight to cancer on July 2nd, 2024, at the age of 57.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Brownie D. Russell; father, Joseph King; as well as his brother and sister, Waymon and Cecelia Mears.

He leaves to mourn three sons, Kevaughn (Aliece), Kwuavei, and Kasselle King; one daughter, Kamauri King; and two grandsons, Kadeem and Korbin King. He also leaves behind his longtime partner, Kim Robinson; his second mother, Anna Lee-King, four brothers, Anthony J. Lee, Shawn D. Lee (Keisha), Terry A. Lee, and Joseph King Jr., and two sisters, Tina M. and Debbie A. Lee. He also leaves to mourn niece, Desiree Mears, and a host of other nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Visitation will be held at Calhoun Funeral Home in Bedford Heights, Ohio on Friday, July 19, 2024 from 4-8 pm. Funeral services will be Saturday, July 20, 2024 at 1 pm in the Calhoun Funeral Home chapel. Gentry-Smith Funeral Home will handle the interment in Laurel Creek Cemetery on Thursday, July 25, 2024.

Share memories and condolences at www.gentrysmithfuneralhome.com Gentry-Smith Funeral Home, 303 Murfreesboro Rd. Woodbury, TN 37190, 615-563-5337 Because every life has a story