OBITUARY:  V. O. Key, Coke County, TX

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Submitted by Gerald Key - KeyNotes2000@aol.com
14 January 2002
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DAWSON COUNTY COURIER, Lemesa, Texas, vol 18, Number 15, page 1, on 
Feb. 23, 1948

FUNERAL SERVICES ARE HELD SUNDAY FOR V.O. KEY

Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at the First Methodist 
Church for  V. O. Key,  longtime resident  of Dawson County, who died 
at Price Hospital early Friday morning.  Mr. Key, who was 69 years of 
age, had been in ill health for several years and had been hospitalized 
for a number of weeks.
    
The Rev. Sam A. Thomas officiated at the service and the burial rite  
which followed at Lamesa Memorial Park.  He was assisted by Rev.  
Bascom  Merchant of Houston, a nephew of Mr. Key.  Funeral arrangements 
were under the direction of Higginbotham Funeral Home.

Mr. Key was born Feb. 14, 1879 in Hubbard City.  He attended the 
University of Texas and received his law degree in 1908.  He lived for 
a time at Robert Lee where he practiced law and served as county 
attorney of Coke County.  He moved to Lamesa in 1911.

Since that time he has practiced law and operated an abstract firm here.  
He was well known and highly respected throughout this section of the 
state.

On June 12. 1907, Mr. Key married Olive Terry at Jonesboro, Tex.  Mrs. 
Key survives.

Mr. Key had been a member of the Methodist Church since early 
childhood.  He took an active part in church work in Lamesa.  He was 
a member of IOOF and Knights Pythias.  He was a charter member of the 
Lamesa Rotary Club and devoted time and energy to civic activities. 
He played a leading part in the development   of Lemesa and this area.

Survivors other than his wife include three sons, Dr. V. O. Key, Jr., 
head of the political science department of Johns-Hopkins, Baltimore, 
Maryland; Cecil Key of San Angelo; Marion T. Key of Lubbock,  and Dr. 
Luther Key of Norristown, Pa; one daughter, Mrs. N. H. Price of Lamesa; 
and four grandchildren.  Also surviving are three sisters, Mrs. R. A. 
Sanders of Wichita Falls, Mrs. E. B. Merchant of Alvin, and Mrs. W. E. 
Montgomery of San Antonio.

Pallbearers were Dr. J. C. Loveless, Henry Norris,  J. R. Flanniken, 
Robert Kirk,  M. E. Boren, A. G. Waugh, W.  K. Crawley and Dr. J. M. 
Harrington.  Honorary pallbearers were members of the men’s Sunday 
school class of the First Methodist Church, D. E. McGee of Levelland 
and Judge George R. Bean of Lubbock.

Mr. Russell Skiles, Editor/Publisher of the Lamesa Press-Reporter 
which bought out the Dawson County Courier, has granted permission to 
republish obituaries on the Coke County genealogical website. 

NOTE:  V. O. Key died in Lemesa, Dawson County, Texas on Feb. 20, 1948. 
His obituary appeared in the DAWSON COUNTY COURIER, Lemesa, Texas, 
vol 18, Number 15, page 1, on Feb. 23, 1948. He is buried in Lamesa.