Obituary of Rev. Basil Key

Funeral services for Rev. Basil Key, age 87, of Wedowee will be held on Saturday, April 8, 2017, at 1:00 PM at the First Congregational Full Gospel Church of Anniston with Rev. James Abernathy and Rev. Kenneth Troy Peterson officiating. Burial will follow at Union Hill Congregational Methodist Church with Benefield Funeral Home of Wedowee in charge of arrangements. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:00-8:00 PM on Friday, April 7, 2017. Rev. Key will lie in state at the church for two hours before services begin on Saturday. Rev. Key passed away Wednesday, April 05, 2017, at his residence. Survivors include his wife, Odessa Key of Wedowee; one daughter, Angela Ophelia Peterson (husband, Troy) of Spring Arbor, MI; one son, Basil Timothy Key (wife, Roxane) of Anniston; five grandchildren, Kristine Marshall (husband, Arron) of San Jose, CA, Lindsey Peterson of Spring Arbor, MI, Michael Timothy Key, of Chattanooga, TN, James Turley, Jr., (wife, Alethia) of Greenwood, IN, and April McWilliams (husband, J.P.) of Oxford; seven great-grandchildren; three sisters, Ethel Bean of Huntsville, AL, Betty Hendrix of Huntsville, AL, and Naomi Hill of Wedowee; and a host of other relatives and friends. Pallbearers will be Michael Key, Loyd Craft, Scott Maddox, Randy Maddox, Edward Johnson, and Bobby McVey. A Wedowee native, Rev. Key was born on December 3, 1929, the son of William Wesley “Bill” and Weda Ophelia East Key. He was a member of the First Congregational Full Gospel Church of Anniston, was a United States Army veteran, and worked as a mechanic for the Anniston Army Depot. Rev. Key was of the Holiness faith and was a minster of the Gospel for 56 years and an ordained elder for nine years. He helped organize four churches, three still winning souls for Christ. Rev. Key pastored more than 30 years, worked in nursing home ministry for over ten years, jail ministry for over 25 years, radio ministry for about 15 years, and witnessed to anyone who would listen to him for 65 years, since he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. He was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, and three brothers.