Don King, beloved community member and owner of Fat City BBQ, has died while battling cancer.
The news was announced Thursday on Fat City Brew & BBQ’s Facebook page.
“Don was more than the heart behind Fat City Brew & BBQ. He was a devoted father, son, friend and a proud member of the Stockton community,” the post said. “His humor, warmth, and love for great BBQ brought people together.”
King is survived by his wife Nadja King, two daughters, Amarie and Harley, and the business he helped build, Fat City Brew & BBQ. The whole family is involved with the restaurant, including menu items named after both his daughters.
“Even through a long and challenging medical journey, culminating in his battle with B-Cell Lymphoma, Don continued to work, to love, and to lead until his body simply could not,” Nadja King said. “His determination never wavered.”
In August, Nadja King shared details of her husband’s health journey, telling Stocktonia that he was going through chemotherapy and that the future was uncertain. King was diagnosed with Stage 4 B-cell lymphoma in May.
“If there’s one thing that defined Don King, it was his unstoppable spirit,” Nadja King, Don’s wife, told Stocktonia. “Family fueled his passion, and faith guided him every single day. No one could outwork him. And he proved that, time and again.”
She described King as fiery and motivated. Over the years, the business faced many ups and downs, but King persevered. The restaurant started in 2010 as a barbecue sauce supplier, evolving into a staple restaurant at the heart of Stockton. With each iteration of Fat City BBQ, he updated, reinvented and reimagined – never giving up.
“May that same fire live on in all who knew him,” Nadja King said. “God willing, Don’s legacy will continue to inspire us to work hard, love deeply, and live ‘the good life,’ just as he did.”
Fat City BBQ kept its doors open over the weekend, in honor of King’s memory. Through regular Facebook updates, the business is encouraging customers to stop by, share a meal and raise a glass of Budweiser for Don.
Those who wish to help King’s family can contribute to his GoFundMe, which says funds will go to remaining medical and burial costs. For those unable to donate, “prayers and words of comfort mean just as much.”
Fat City Brew & BBQ is located at 1740 Pacific Ave. Stockton’s Miracle Mile. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday.