Carrie Key

Carrie Lee Gilliam Key of Oglesby, passed from this world on Saturday, December 19, 2020. She was loved fiercely by her family and will be greatly missed.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at Post Oak Cemetery in Oglesby with John “Bubba” McClure officiating.

Carrie was born December 3, 1939, in Purdon, Texas, to the late Robert Clyde and Willie Mae York Gilliam.  Her family moved to Coryell County, near Pecan Grove when she was a toddler and she later attended school in Oglesby, where she graduated in 1958. She was the youngest of seven children.   Carrie married Kenneth Ray Key on June 7, 1958, at Pecan Grove Baptist Church.  They would go on to have three children, Kenneth Bradley Key, John Gregory Key and Tracy Lee Key.  She worked for Walls Manufacturing in Gatesville, for many years before going to work for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.  Working for TDCJ would move her to Beeville, Livingston and Bastrop, before she returned home to Oglesby in 2007.  After her retirement, she bought a home next door to her sister and great friend, Louise Roedler.   Carrie had many interests and enjoyed bowling, playing bingo, sewing, fishing, traveling, walking on beaches collecting sand dollars and seashells, collecting lighthouses, listening to country music, and most of all family gatherings.  She loved road trips, especially to visit her niece, Cheryl at their lake house in Alabama.  She spent many days playing Yahtzee with her mother and sisters along with many hands of dominoes at holiday get-togethers. Carrie was an avid fan of the Oglesby Tigers, Dallas Cowboys, and San Antonio Spurs. She spent thousands of hours cheering them on over her lifetime, regardless of the season they were having.  She was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church Oglesby. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, R.C. and Willie Gilliam; brothers, Lynn Gilliam, Lexton Gilliam; sisters, Inez Melton, Louise Roedler, Joyce Peveto, and Dorothy Barker.

She is survived by her sons, Bradley Key and wife, Kelli of Aledo, Greg Key and wife, Joyce of McGregor; daughter, Tracy Vandiver and husband, Bill of Clifton; grandchildren, Lauren Rogers, Kaleigh Mandl, Whitney Vandiver, Kerstin Cornelius, Katy Vandiver, Ashley Key, Kelsie Key, Jon Key, Austin LaBrie, Waylon Holden; and nine great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by two nieces, who were very much like additional sisters, Yvonne Philips and Cheryl Riley.

In lieu of flowers, the family has designated memorials be made to Clifton Lutheran Sunset Home, Lutheran Sunset Ministries at https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E10476&id=1 or by mail, P.O. Box 71, Clifton, TX 76634.