He was born to Ethel King (interred as Ethel Knox in Cypress Lawn Cemetery, Colma, CA in 1960) and Lovie Waites, in Bastrop, Texas. After signing for the draft in Austin, Texas, he migrated to San Francisco, in 1939. As a child, his mother's house sat right along side the railroad track. From his bedroom window, he would see the waiters, wearing white coats, in the dining cars....and that, with the excitement of travel, became his goal. He worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad, the San Francisco to Chicago route for many years. Then later he worked the San Francisco to Los Angeles route. He married Addie Stephens, whom he met in her father's home town of Los Angeles, CA. (She became one of the first women of African descent to be hired as a teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District. She is interred with her children at Cypress Lawn Mausoleum in Colma, CA) They had four children, Nedra, Sonya (she died at birth) and twins Ronald and Donald. Daddy also worked for the historic Fairmount Hotel in the late 1950's and early 1960's, for many years, and other exclusive places. He was a close friend to many people from all walks of life, and some famous, such as Senator Eugene McAteer, and his "brother from another mother" the famous boxer, Archie Moore. There's a story how the famous singer Dinah Washington also desired a closer relationship, in the 1940's. Hahaha. He was quiet, even tempered and very well liked by all who knew him, and was the first man of African descent hired as a waiter in historic Fisherman's Wharf, at Tarantino's restaurant. When I was in grade school, and we went to eat there, the staff treated us like celebrities. I found out about the famous child drink; the Shirley Temple; because they made those for us children. Of course...we were dressed up, as was the standard in those days when out, engaged in fine dining. :-) Happy memories. Another thing comes to mind: I have, in my old age had my DNA examined...the Y passes generationally through the males. It turned out, Daddy was 50% Italian on that strand, Hahaha. Maybe those Italians sensed some kinship to Daddy, when they brought him into the fold. They surely loved him. I don't like that Daddy is buried way out there in Skylawn, instead of Cypress Lawn, with his family. It's a long story....but mostly I couldn't push for him to be with his mother when he died, due to a grave digger's strike at the cemetery, and my young age of 16. Today (7/25/23), I was thinking of Daddy's close friend, Senator Eugene McAteer, who proceeded him in death. I looked him up on FindaGrave, and saw to my astonishment Senator McAteer was the co-owner of Tarantino's Restaurant! Now I know how they were connected, and became good friends.