King of Fun with a Will to Smile: Friends Mourn Loss of Laughter

For Valerie Ingram-Hinkley, advisor of WUTT, seeing Will King every week in class was a joy.

‘He was fun and energetic’hellip;he was the type of guy who helped out,’ Ingram-Hinkleysaid.
King was set to graduate this May but planned on taking summer courses.’ He was also trying to get a web design internship.’

King asked Ingram-Hinkley to be his reference last week.

That’s the last time she saw him.

The night of King’s death, Ingram-Hinkley learned of it during her radio class, ‘I said, ‘Really?’ Are you sure?” Then I started praying for him,’ she said.

Some members of WUTT radio were also close to King, taking classes with him during fall 2008.’ He served as budget director and assistant marketing director.

Kate Lamm, senior, took a class with King and said even though she didn’t know him well, ‘He stepped up to the plate every time we needed him to, and I really respect him for that.’
Freshman Kate Magruder also worked at sporting events and did promotions with King at WUTT. She said he was a great guy who was easy to get along with.’ She remembers the goofy side of him, ‘He wanted to be Jim Carrey’hellip; He did a great Ace Ventura impression.’

Ingram-Hinkley and Lamm said King loved his motorcycle.

‘I remember one of the first things I talked to him about was his motorcycle,” Lamm said.
When she noticed a scar on his leg, and she questioned him. ‘He burned his leg on the tailpipe.’

Lamm also said he was an experienced rider because, ‘He drove [the motorcycle] to school almost everyday.’

King’s love for his bicycle was noticeable.’ ‘When you saw him he always had it..so he wore it on a regular basis,’ Ingram-Hinkley said.

For members of WUTT, the station is now all about ‘DJ King’ and their commemoration started Thursday night.’

For the first time, they went live for 24 hours. And it was all for King.

This year’s WUTT-a-Palooza, which was held on Friday, was in honor of King.’ The staff plans to sign a t-shirt and send it to King’s family.’

Throughout the semester, the group planned a show featuring local bands.
The event has officially been renamed as the ‘First Annual King Fest.’
‘He left a mark and we want to honor him,’ Ingram-Hinkley said.’ She also said WUTT will be re-named to the WUTT Will King Studio.’ She plans to get a plaque with his name on it and hang it in the studio.

‘He’s always on our air even when the studio is empty,’ Ingram-Hinkley said.
Another piece of King is being preserved by the station.’ Thursday night after class, Ingram-Hinkley found King’s last radio show as a DJ. ‘When I listen to it, I laugh and I say, ‘That’s Will.’ Ingram-Hinkley said.

She edited the CD to enhance the sound quality.

‘I made it all sweet and pretty’hellip;now students can always hear Will,’ Ingram-Hinkley said.’ She plans to send the CD to King’s family.

For Ingram-Hinkley, she’ll never forget the last time she saw King.
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