The King Center has sadly announced the passing of Dexter King, the youngest son and third child of Martin Dr. Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.
According to a family statement, Dexter passed away Monday after battling prostate cancer. He was 62.
His wife, Leah Weber King, shared, “He transitioned peacefully in his sleep at home with me in Malibu. He gave it everything and battled this terrible disease until the end. As with all the challenges in his life, he faced this hurdle with bravery and might.”
His sister, Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center, stated, “words cannot express the heart break I feel from losing another sibling. I’m praying for strength to get through this very difficult time”. His brother Martin Luther King, III added ‘‘the sudden shock is devastating. It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. We ask for your prayers at this time for the entire King family.”
Dexter Scott King, born on January 30, 1961, served as the chairman of The King Center. Named after Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father served his first pastorate, Dexter Scott King graduated from Frederick Douglass High School and Morehouse College in Atlanta. He dedicated his life to perpetuating his father’s legacy and protecting the intellectual property (IP) left behind.
He is survived by his wife of 11 years, Leah Weber, sister Dr. Bernice King, brother Martin Luther King III and his niece Yolanda Renee King.
“I am deeply saddened to share that my brother, Dexter Scott King, has passed away. The sudden shock is devastating. It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this. Please keep the entire King family in your prayers, and in particular Dexter’s wife, Leah Weber,” Martin Luther King III said.
Details about a memorial service will be announced at a later time.