USD Magazine, Spring 1995

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When Charlie King '62 motored across USD's campus during his undergraduate days, he often had a coed at his side - his mother. "I was a day student, so my mom and I would drive to school together every day," he remembers. "I would come up the hill, drop her at the women's college and I would go on to the men's college. On my way back from class, I'd pick her up and we'd go home." Contrary to what one might expect, having his mom around didn't cut into his social life. In fact, King's wife, Maureen (Pecht) '64, knew his mother before she began dating him. The two women were friends and classmates at the College for Women, something he discovered on his first date with Maureen. But to King, his years at USD mean more than coeds and cozy memories. They represent the beginning of a life– long relationship with the university, where he has remained actively involved through the alumni association - including at least 20 years total on the board - and countless USD programs and events. For that commitment, and the enthusi– asm that King brings to his work at Alcala Park, he was honored last fall with the fourth annual Mother Rosalie Hill Award. The award, named for the founding president of the San Diego College for Women, is presented at Homecoming each year to an alumna or alumnus who personifies the spirit and philosophy of the university. When King's name was announced at the Homecoming Mass, he was the last person expecting it. "To say the least, I was stunned," he says, his eyes widening and his head shaking slowly at the mem– ory. It was hardly a surprise, however, to the many people on hand who know King. Many know that his relationship

Charlie King '62 is joined by his wile, Maureen (Pecht) King '64, as he accepts the 1994 Mother Rosalie Hill Award.

with the university - and the namesake for his award - reaches back much fur– ther than his undergraduate days. His family moved to San Diego from Omaha, Neb., in 1945, when he was just 5 years old. Soon after, they began visit– ing the Sacred Heart nuns at their con– vent in Old Town, where King first remembers meeting Mother Hill. "She was incredibly gracious," he says. "I always thought she was so frail and yet, disguised behind this frailty was this pil– lar of steel. She was the most amazing person." A few years later, King was part of an army of Catholic schoolchildren who stood on a dusty hill in the blazing sun to witness the ground-breaking of San Diego's long-awaited Catholic university, now known as the University of San Diego. Little did King know that on the very spot where he stood, he would soon be sharing study tips with his mother and sodas with his future wife. After high school, King attended the University of Notre Dame for two years, but was driven back to San Diego by the cold and the snow. And by one other thing - he always had planned to live and work in San Diego, and wanted to attend a school where he could be active as an alumnus. He has been as good as his intentions. In addition to his many years as an active alumni board member, including a term as president, King served as a guest

lecturer at the School of Business Administration and talked about his experiences as a USD student and alum– nus to community groups. He also has supported the development of the uni– versity by participating in various fund– raising efforts. In 1990, King was hon– ored for his years of service to USD with the Outstanding Alumni Award. Such loyalty courses through King's life. Since graduating from USD more than 30 years ago, he has worked for just two firms: First National Bank and Rice Hall James, an investment counsel– ing firm. King spent 11 years at the bank, first as a management trainee and then working his way up to managing client accounts in the trust department. In 1974, King and a group of colleagues at the bank decided to go into business for themselves, so they opened Rice Hall James. Still with the firm today, King is vice president and partner. Charlie and Maureen King have four children: Theresa, Kristin, Paul and Michalyn, a 1994 graduate of USD who represents the third generation of the King family to attend the university. As he ponders the USD legacy in his family, King feels a sense of fulfillment knowing that while many things in this world change, some things remain trea– sured traditions. And today, when he visits USD, he still motors across cam– pus with a coed at his side - but this time, it's his wife.

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