BERNE — William D. King, a kind and compassionate friend who loved fishing, died on Sunday, March 6, 2016. He was 57.

Mr. King was born in Albany on Jan. 23, 1959. He graduated from Bethlehem Central High School in 1977, and attended Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.

Mr. King joined the United States Army Combat Infantry in the 24th Infantry Division, Rapid Deployment Force, as a field medic. He was assigned to the 33rd Target Acquisition Group.

“He was extremely proud of his service,” said his sister, Deborah Fenner, of Altamont. “The VA hospital did a really nice honor guard — very honorable. He was always so proud to be a vet.”

In the service, Mr. King was a flight paramedic, and received an Expert Field Medical Badge. In 1983, Mr. King participated in the evacuation of the wounded in the invasion of Grenada.

After his service, Mr. King joined the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 2 and trained as a mason. He worked on many historical projects throughout New York State, including buildings at the United States Military Academy at West Point and Hamilton College, the former Delaware & Hudson train station, and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany.

Before he retired in 2015, Mr. King received his Historic Masonry Preservation Certificate as a Master Stone Mason.

Mr. King lived in Berne and his sister said, “He loved being up where he lived, fishing, and being on the lake. He was very generous and very well-liked.”

Mr. King enjoyed going to the Shell Inn in Berne, “where he met his buddies,” Mrs. Fenner said. “He had many friends up on the hill, and he’s going to be missed.”

Mr. King also enjoyed spending time with his family and his beloved cat, Trouble, Mrs. Fenner said.

“Learning about death and disease for the first time in our very young naive lives took a toll on all of us — only a third of the class made it to graduation,” said a nursing school classmate in an online tribute. “There weren't many opportunities in the 70's to get into medicine, so Bill was a trailblazer at the time being a nurse. That's called bravery. Serving in our military — bravery. We could learn a lot from Bill's example.”

Another friend described Mr. King as “kind, compassionate, funny, and just a downright good person.”

Before he died, Mr. King wished to extend his thanks to Lori and Scott Lupini, of Lupini Construction, in Utica (Oneida Co.) “for the many wonderful opportunities they gave him over the years,” his friends wrote in a tribute.

Mr. King donated his body to science; after the Albany Medical College Anatomical Gift Program releases his ashes, Mrs. Fenner said, Mr. King’s ashes will be scattered, at his request.

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Mr. King is survived by his loving, furry, feline companion, Trouble; his sisters, Patti L. McGehee, and her husband, Laurion, of North Carolina; and Deborah L. Fenner (née King), and her husband, Brian, of Altamont; his nieces Melissa Palermo, and her husband, Kirk, of Pennsylvania; and Mandy MacNaughton, and her husband, Ian, of North Carolina; his nephews, Lee B. Fenner, of Austin, Texas; and Blake W. Fenner, of Altamont; his great-nieces, Addie, Anna, Audrey, Jauncey, and Remy; and many friends.

A memorial service for Mr. King will be held at a later date by the Albany Medical College Anatomical Gift Program.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. King’s memory to the Justin L. Mirabile Scholarship Fund, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local #2 NY-VT, 302 Centre Dr., Albany, NY, 12203.

— Jo E. Prout