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Chapel renaming honors its founder

The Rev. Frank King of Morton Plant Hospital is remembered as gentle, intelligent and fun.

By CHRISTINA K. COSDON
Published September 6, 2005

CLEARWATER - Friends and co-workers remember the Rev. Frank King as a gentle, humble man of extraordinary intelligence and an outrageous sense of humor.

They recently honored him posthumously by naming the small chapel he established at Morton Plant Hospital in 1985 the Frank King Chapel.

"It was wonderful of them to dedicate it to him," said his wife, Anita. "He did so much good, but he would never blow his own horn."

At the time of his death in March at age 57, he was in his 24th year as chaplain and director of pastoral care of the four Morton Plant Mease hospitals. It was a program he founded and helped grow to four full-time chaplains and a corps of more than 40 volunteer clerics. His chaplaincy program has been used as a benchmark by other health care facilities.

King, who was an ordained United Methodist minister and had a doctorate in psychology, died of complications from diabetes. He had battled the disease since he was 13 and in recent years had lost the sight of an eye, had part of one leg amputated and had received a kidney transplant.

"He was always smiling and much more concerned about other people's problems," recalled Lisa Johnson, who is vice president of patient services for the four Morton Plant Mease hospitals. "He had a very engaging personality and a wonderful way of ministering to people and supporting people. He could relate to all walks of life, all religious backgrounds."

Johnson, a registered nurse for 24 years, said King wrote a manual to help nurses in their work with patients of different religions. The manual - written by King in English, Spanish and Greek - explained the beliefs, holidays, diets and end-of-life care for various religions.

"Even when there was a difference of opinion among us about our operation, he had a way to bring us to ground zero and come up with a solution," said Johnson, who worked 17 years with King. "And he was always telling jokes. He kept us laughing."

One of King's two daughters, Heather Higdon, 28, of Acworth, Ga., said her father also brought a sense of humor into home life. Although their parents divorced and their dad remarried, "he was always there for us," she said.

"He was very humble about his accomplishments," Higdon said. "At the funeral, it was very evident that he had touched so many people. It was a really cool experience for my sister and I to hear the words of people that he helped."

While at Morton Plant, King formed a volunteer clergy disaster response team to provide pastoral care to victims of airplane crashes, chemical spills, hurricanes and tornadoes. This program, which gained King national recognition, has been used by the Navy and the federal Department of Veterans Affairs hospital system. He received many honors for his work, most recently in 2002 when Clearwater's Project Grace named him Distinguished Person of the Year.

King inspired at least one pastor to become a chaplain.

The Rev. Danny McDonald, manager of pastoral care of the four Morton Plant Mease hospitals, was a pastor at United Methodist Church of Clearwater in 1982 when he met King. They became friends, and, in the early 1990s, King began encouraging McDonald to become a hospital chaplain.

"Frank was very insightful," McDonald said. " ... Frank was able to point out the things you are gifted at."

By 1995, McDonald was persuaded. He worked three years as a chaplain for Hospice of the Florida Suncoast and joined King at Morton Plant in 1999.

"Frank was my best friend and like a brother to me," McDonald said. "I often solve problems now by asking myself, "Now what would Frank say?"'

[Last modified September 6, 2005, 03:15:21]