Dr. Webb Bridges Key

1945 - 2019

Dr. Webb Bridges Key

Wichita Falls

Dr. Webb Bridges Key, age 74, retired physician and renaissance man, passed on to the next chapter of his life's story on March 13, 2019, surrounded by family and friends. A celebration service will be held at 3:00 pm, Monday, March 18, 2019, at First United Methodist Church, Wichita Falls, TX. A reception at the church will follow the service.

Webb Key was born on February 20, 1945, in Grand Junction, Tennessee. He attended elementary school in Memphis and graduated from Union City High School in Tennessee. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where he also played saxophone in the SMU Mustang Band. In 1966 he married the love of his life, SusAnn Foster, in Wichita Falls, Texas. He completed premedical courses at Midwestern State University and graduated as a Doctor of Osteopathy from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. Afterwords, he completed his residency in Family Practice at Womack Army Hospital, Fort Bragg, NC.

As a Board-Certified Family Practitioner, Dr. Key was Chief of the Family Practice Department at Tinker AFB Hospital,TAFB, OK, Ramstein AFB Clinic, RAFB, Germany, and Sheppard AFB Hospital, SAFB TX. He was a flight surgeon and a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner for Classes I, II, III airmen medical certificates for the Federal Aviation Administration. He also provided family medicine in a private practice clinic and was a partner at the Clinics of North Texas, Wichita Falls,TX.

Dr. Key was a Diplomate to the American Board of Family Physicians, a Fellow to the American Academy of Family Practice, Chairman of the Family Practice Department of Wichita General Hospital and secretary/treasurer of the Wichita County Medical Society. He served as an Associate Professor for the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center as a Clinical Rotation Preceptor and was a member of the Pre-Med Advisory Committee for Midwestern State University. During his career Dr. Key also served as Chair and Vice Chairman on the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee of Wichita General Hospital and Bethania Hospital and was a member of the Infection Control Committee.

As a US Navy Journalist in Vietnam and a physician in the US Air Force, Dr. Key earned the Navy Achievement Medal, the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with four bronze service stars, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon, the Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters, the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Family, friends, medicine, music, and writing were his life. Dr. Key was known to his colleagues and patients as a witty, compassionate, caring physician. In his personal and professional life Dr. Key shared his talents in many ways. He was a member of the American Medical Writers Association, Southwest Chapter, and served as a writer and editor of Wichita Medicine and various national publications on patient information.

A lover of nature and the arts, Dr. Key was a member of Texas Master Naturalists, North Texas Men's Chorus, Bravo Chorus, and First United Methodist Chancel Choir; where he was also a church member for over 50 years. He also enjoyed singing with The Embellishments Barbershop Quartet and the First Presbyterian Choir. He was a member and served as treasurer of the Wichita Falls Poetry Society. He loved to travel, read, journal, write poetry, and design clever greeting cards for family and friends.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, SusAnn Key, of Wichita Falls; daughter Ladye and husband Shannon Daniels; and grandchildren Keyton and Emma Daniels.

He was preceded in death by his father Webb Bridges Key, Sr. and his mother Mary (Fry) Key.

The family would especially like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Hospice of Wichita Falls for their compassion and dedication to Dr. Key and his family and to all their other patients. In lieu of flowers the family kindly requests memorials be directed to Hospice of Wichita Falls at https://www.howf.org/donate/

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lunnscolonial.com.