Posted on November 29, 2018
Dredge Central advises with sorrow that its founder, Donald R King, age 91, passed away November 19, 2018. He is survived by wife Kathleen (Bitsy) King; children, Rick King, David (Hajdi) King, Roger (Terry) King, and Clif (Terry) King.
Don graduated from Hillsboro High School, attended the University of Tennessee, and served in the US Navy in WWII. In his earlier years Don delivered telegrams by bicycle for Western Union, was a bellboy at The Hermitage Hotel, sold cars, started the first rolling restaurant in Nashville, and eventually entered the construction business which led to a more than 50 year entrepreneurial career in the international dredge manufacturing industry.
He worked at AMMCO first, then he and Clyde Brown bought Dixie Dredge which they ran until they sold it to St Louis Ship. He went back to AMMCO in the late 60’s, until 1973 when he helped start DMI, DredgeMasters International. After another period at AMMCO, he started DMC (Dredge and Marine Corp) in 1984 until he sold out in 2010.
He then founded Dredge Central, which is a leading broker and refurbisher of used dredging equipment, where he worked actively until his retirement three years ago.
He will be missed by his many friends and family and clients.
