Longtime Wenatchee School District employee Bob King passed away on April 28, just nearly a week after being diagnosed with stage four cancer.

During his time as Director of Safety and Security, King developed his own Standing Operational Procedures, WHS Safety and Security Officer Don Durden said. King also supervised the district’s truancy officer.

“Mr. King had a vision when he became the Director of Safety and Security as to what he wanted in a department that was responsible for not only the district, but for one of the largest high schools in the state,” Durden said. “He took that vision and created what we have today.”

Through practices and work executed by King, the district was able to reduce violence and gang activity in the schools, Durden said.

“He was always focused on the job; he was always focused on how we were going to maintain or continue or develop safety and security,” Durden said, adding that King’s primary focus was for the safety of students and staff.

King took a leave of absence before his diagnosis when he started not feeling well, planning to return to work in September. “He had every expectation that he was going to be back to work,” WHS Safety and Security Officer Janine Owyen said.

Outside of the district, King interacted with statewide programs that affected school districts, creating standardized protocols for security departments in school districts.

“He was extremely knowledgeable,” Durden said, “he was the go-to guy.”

King was instrumental in creating the standardized uniforms that Safety and Security Officers wear on campus today. Durden said that King saw importance in the uniforms to make sure that students and non-students knew they were serious about keeping the campus safe.

King started with WSD in 1998 as a bus driver, becoming the Campus Supervisor at Wenatchee High School in 2002. He quickly moved on to the District Coordinator of Safety and Security in 2004, and in 2008 became the Director of the department.

The district will now begin looking for a candidate to fill the position. It waited until after the memorial service for King, which took place on May 10.

“We’re going to miss Bob. I strongly believe that the district chose the right person to be the first Director of Safety and Security,” Durden said. “Without him, and his fortitude, this department wouldn’t be what it is today.”

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