Dexter Scott King remembered during memorial as keeper of his father Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream

FILE - Dexter King, son of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., listens to arguments in the State Court of Criminal Appeals in Jackson, Tenn., Friday, Aug. 29, 1997, to determine whether two Memphis judges have overstepped their authority surrounding the investigation of the King assassination. A memorial service was held Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Atlanta for Dexter Scott King, who died in January at the age of 62 after battling prostate cancer. (Helen Comer/The Jackson Sun via AP, Pool, File)

Dexter Scott King, the late son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, was remembered Saturday as the protector of his family’s legacy and the keeper of his father’s dream during a memorial service in Atlanta.

“You, my love, were born a King, beautifully sculpted with the physical traits and intellect of the most revered and impactful man of our time, your beloved father. In addition to that, you held the grace, talent and steadfastness of your beautiful mother,” Dexter’s wife, Leah Weber King, said in her speech, speaking directly to him.

“You were, indeed, what most would consider and what I considered a man who had it all,” she said. “But instead of devoting your life to how these riches could advance your personal aspirations and fill your ego, you devoted your life to how all of these riches could advance the cause and legacy of your father, your mother and your family.”