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Kenneth Key Obituary
MAHOMET – Kenneth Shondell Key, 32, of Mahomet died at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007, at Carle Foundation Hospital.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29, at Calvary Baptist Church in Urbana. The Rev. Gary Gritton will officiate. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Renner-Wikoff Chapel & Crematory, 1900 S. Philo Rd., Urbana. Burial will be in Danville National Cemetery, with military rites by VFW 728.
Kenneth Shondell Key was born Dec. 20, 1974, in Columbus, Ga., a son of Kenneth and Elizabeth Benam Key. He married Autumn King on Dec. 30, 2006, at Calvary Baptist Church in Urbana. She survives.
He is survived by his parents and two brothers, Nathanael Key of Washington, D.C., and David Key. He was preceded in death by his grandfather.
Kenneth was a member of the US Air Force from 1993 to 1997. Condolences may be offered at renner-wikoffchapel.com.
Memories and Condolences
for Kenneth Key
Sponsored by Nathanael S Key, Brother for 30 years.
Norm Erfe
July 7, 2015
Oh brother, just found out today about my best buddy in the Air Force. Im truly saddened by his premature departure from this world but like you Daniel, I had also been in wacky trips from Eglin to his hometown in Chipley Fl on that famous Chevel that he made do that other cars wont, running with a hole on the radiator and gunning it at 60 mph in less than 4 seconds...Im offering prayers to this wonderful person who always find the lighter side of life....God Bless you always
Amanda Tyra
December 21, 2013
Lol! Daniel Collins, that sounds like something "Key" would do! I miss his shenanigans soon much.you should have tried growing up with him. Never a dull moment!
Daniel Collins
September 25, 2013
I know this is a little late but I didn't learn of this until now. I was so shocked to read that "Key" (as I knew him in the AF) had died. He and I were roommates at Eglin; got in trouble together, had good times together, etc. He was one of a kind. I remember riding back from somewhere in that old Chevelle of his, it was nighttime and his radar detector started having a fit and so he turned off the headlights and we rode all the way back to the main gate of Eglin with no lights. I'm so sorry for your loss. God bless.
shanna thompson
March 3, 2009
I WAS ON CLASSMATES SAW YOUR REPLY FROM YEARS AGO.IM SO SORRY 2 HERE ABOUT YOUR BROTHERS.I MEANT SHONDELL AND HE WAS A VERY NICE GUY.HE THOUGHT A LOT OF YOU..IM SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS..SHANNA (CALDWELL)THOMPSON
Nathanael Key
October 1, 2007
SHONDELL’S SILENT SALUTE:
A Brother’s Elegy
9 – 13 September 2007
by Nathanael S. Key
"Long, long journey through the darkness"
For love departed I address,
Buried now deep down below
Are secrets that I’ll never know,
Under August’s full moon light
To God I pray his soul took flight,
Midnight Rider and Mema Doll
Woof-Woof too Shondell loved them all,
Snuff can rattle and finger flick
Shondell’s sayings slip’d so quick,
Be-bopping head and laugh-out-loud
Tender eyes now hidden by shroud,
“5:55” at mocking best
Highway cruising in his SS,
A boy grown with dreams still so rich
’69 Chevelle was the pitch,
Funny he was without a plan
A King’s “23-hour man”,
Of all the sight under the moon
His humor sure made our world bloom,
Sadly now continue we must
The cycle of life in blind trust,
That God above has done it right
To take this man from us tonight,
Fly, fly Bluebird of Happiness
Save us I pray from this abyss,
In the dark and shadowy gloom,
The tragedy struck just past noon,
Funny times came in those days past
The Brother I had has now passed,
On the eye of Seventy-Four
A calling Home from the Good Lord,
All the world was a clown to him
Even while his poor sight grew dim,
I never thought I’d say goodbye
My love for him will never die,
A flag-draped casket and white hearse
“Imagine” John’s poetic verse,
Folded flag and Twenty-One shells
Anthem played for one who served well,
Butterflies with a gentle kiss
Sweet “hellos” from the one we miss,
Illinois breeze and clear blue sky
That summer day has long gone by,
Give us the strength now God I pray,
Protect those dear another day,
And though that day has come to past
A brother’s love will always last.
NSK
Shondell (9.5 yrs), me (7 yrs), taken at the Flee Market on Victory Drive in Columbus, GA, in 1984.
September 20, 2007
Shondell, left: "Tough Guy", about 6 years old.
September 10, 2007
Shondell, left: about 4 years old.
September 10, 2007
Brothers (1999): Shondell at 25yo.
September 10, 2007
Nathanael Key
September 5, 2007
Kenneth Shondell Key
20 December 1974 – 23 August 2007
Brother for 30 Years
Why is it that people live their entire lives and never know how truly special they are or how valued and loved they are until they pass away and family and friends then unit to commemorate their life? The unfortunately thing is that we take for granted that our loved ones know just how we feel about them and then one day the unexpected happens. I just cannot understand how in one minute you can go from cruising down the wide-open lanes of life to lying lifeless in the lining of a cold coffin the next.
***
I never thought I would be giving the eulogy of my older brother.
Shondell Key was many things in this life. Shondell was a beloved son, nephew, uncle, husband, hopeful father, brother, best friend and above all, he was a clown. He left an everlasting footprint in everyone’s life with whom he came in contact.
He was funny and comical and always knew exactly what to say to make others around him feel comfortable and at ease. He knew how to make people laugh without even trying; Shondell could be dead serious and have me (or anyone for that matter) just rolling in laughter. I remember many times being in the passenger seat of his Monte Carlo while he would be driving down the road and man he would have me ready to piss my pants from laughing.
I have so many fond memories of him. I remember one time when I was about 9 and he was 11. We lived in this trailer park—and you know any story that begins with “we lived in a trailer” has to be good. But anyway we would get up early and head to the bus stop down the road, then wait for our mom to leave for work and then we’d come back to the trailer and skip school for the day. For some reason, as brothers do, we use to do some silly things like we would dare each other to run around the trailer….in nothing but our tighty-whities! So we would take turns running around the trailer in our underwear and we couldn’t get back in the trailer until after one full lap around. I look back and laugh because one time that little %&# got me good. He dared me to do it and sure enough I got out there and then he locked the door and said that I had to take off my Scooby Doo underwear and run around once with nothing on. So there I was: running around the trailer in the middle of the day with nothing on and my tally-wacker (my bits) flopping around in the wind. Well one day, the neighbor came over to see our mom and told on us!
I remember that he always loved his music just blaring loud. I used to be in his house or his car and just ask him to turn it down a little bit because I had a headache. He would turn and look at me with that half-cocked smile, and do his infamous hand thing and say “What you talking about, boy? This’ll make it go away.”
One time when we were really young, I was probably 7 and he was about 9, we spent the summer with our grandparents on our mom’s side, but of course us being who we are, even the grandparents didn’t have normal terms of reference. We called them “Memal and Papal”. Anyway that was an interesting summer; Papal sold socks so we hopped all over the southern portion of the nation stopping at various flee markets. One late day, after packing up and getting ready to leave, Shondell and I decided to play a game. Now you have to understand that Memal and Papal always has this 98 Cutlass Oldsmobile, you know the kind that was as long as the Titanic and sat only 2 inches off the ground. So this day, he and I got in the backseat climbed over the mountain of socks so we could get in all the way. Shondell didn’t shut his door, but I shut mine twice to make it sound like he did. Instead he left his slightly ajar so the door would fly open down the highway. Well, we get on the highway and we were at a cruising speed of 5mph on the interstate. Meanwhile every body is passing us. Well we reached this sharp curve and Shondell must have forgotten that his door was still not closed and he kind of leaned on the door. The next thing I remember, his door slowly swung open and Shondell was holding onto the door and reaching for the box of socks. He said “Whoa Papal!” I was laughing and he was scared. His back was literally a couple inches off the ground. I mean it was lower than the car. We also had some balloons and I remember as soon as his door swung open, our balloons flew out as well. Memal was yelling “Sam, Sam! What in sam hill is going on?” and Papal didn’t even have to look back he just said something like “Damn kids back there trying to jump out of the car.”
There are so many funny stories about Shondell and we could sit here until the end of time telling storing about things he said or did. I hope no one is upset if I don’t tell the funnies stories or his funnies anecdotes. We all know how funny he was and it’s so hard to choose which ones to pick from.
Shondell was not simple. He was very peculiar and he could be hard to please at times. Every time I think of him, I remember his happy face and his sayings. I used to always think that he should write a book and call it “Shondell’s Sayings”. No matter what pain he was going through or any disappointments he had in life, he kept a strong façade and he could always make us laugh. He was very strong and despite what he was made to believe by certain influences, I pray that he knew how much we loved him.
I’m mad at him for not having the sense to know that family means so much and that no matter what, even if we get mad at each other some times, we still love each other. I’m so thankful that he found a wonderful partner in life. Autumn has been his rock and his life for so long now and I know Shondell, or Ken as they called him, thought the world of Autumn and her wonderful family. I would have done anything to have come to their wedding because all my life I wanted to be his best man, and I always looked forward to being an uncle. I’m so sorry I missed the wedding but I am so thankful and proud that he was blessed to have such a wonderful and loving family. All my life it seemed Shondell was looking up to me and asking me for advice or how I was able to do something, but if the truth be known I looked to him for inspiration. No matter what he faced he publicly kept a positive outlook and only a select few got to see him behind the mask.
To him, everyone was a clown. He would call everyone a clown: “Look at the clown over there. Boy, you see that clown?” And Shondell was the leader of the clown pack and the Three Ring circus. He was always acting up and doing something silly to make us laugh. I learned from the best.
Shondell had a unique way of bringing a room to life. Whenever he would “bebop” in the room everyone knew it wouldn’t be long before he would start rattling off some random comment. Nothing was known by its real name; everything had a unique name. I don’t know how he would dream this stuff up but it sure made people laugh.
It’s so hard to believe that we’ll never see him again, or hear one of his Shondell Saying’s, or Kenbonics. He will definitely be missed by everyone who ever knew him and all who loved him.
I asked for two songs to be played today. One is “Send in the Clowns” by Barbra Streisand, because everyone was a clown to Shondell. All my life, I can remember him pointing out people and saying, “Boy! Look at the clown over there!” The second song is “He was a friend of mine” by Willie Nelson, because for 30 years, through thick and thin, he was a friend of mine, and nearly everyone who met him considered him a friend.
Shondell, you were always loved and you will always be missed.
I will live the rest of my life proud and thankful that He was a friend of mine.
SHAQUITA HIMES
August 29, 2007
Man, "Red Head" I am going to really miss you "Key". I was honored to serve with Key at Eglin. He was always so silly and always joking around. I remember his Memaw, down south stories. I am going to really miss you.
Tim Ovdenk
August 29, 2007
sorry i could not be there I realy would like to be there . Shondell was a good friend and great cousin he will be miss and loved forever i just wish my kids could of got to know him like i know him
Elizabeth Starr Key
August 29, 2007
I have had to do some mighty difficult things in my life, but saying good-bye to you Shondell is the most tremendous thing I have ever been forced to do. You have since the day of your birth been in my thoughts, my hopes, my dreams; you have been in all my happy wonderful times. Mainly it is because you are the one that brought the happy times. Everytime I hear a booming radio, I think of you. Everytime I see a Chevelle, I think of you.
I guess you could say everything I see reminds me of you. Maybe it is because as you were growing up, so was I. You were so much of all my youthful memories, how is it that now you are gone? So much you had left to do, we all need you. Your beautiful Bride will always be your beautiful Bride & miss & love you.
Somehow the days just don't seem as clear & bright, the smell of the flowers are not as sweet. Things will never be the same, since you left us here alone.
I expect any minute, that you might call, or worse when I get online~I know~there will be no one-liner e-mail from you.
No more on this earth, will I hear from my Dear Shondell. How am I to go through another day, with that horrible knowing that you are gone? I miss you so much. No more can I tell you~something is on if you want to watch it. No more will I hear you say "Ha Mama".
I do know that I will see you again one day, I just don't know when. Maybe we will have a place in Heaven that we can be neighbors. I am asking the Father for that, & maybe you can too.
I Love You so Much Shondell~Love Mama
Shawnette P. Roper
August 29, 2007
To the family I am truely sorry for your loss. I was station at Eglin AFB with Key and Royer. We all worked at the fitness center together and if I can tell you one thing, when Key was at work there was always laughter. If he was not telling us stories about Star, then he was talking about Memaw. He was a great person, I am proud to have served with him and he will truely be missed.
Colleen Marquez
August 29, 2007
Because of the friendship I have with Donald Royer, I offer deepest sympathy for your loss.
Vicki Cooper
August 28, 2007
Hey Autumn, i'm sorry to hear about your husband. I didn't know you got married until Amanda told me. I really am sorry for your loss and wish you the best.
Vicki
Donald Royer
August 28, 2007
Autumn,
I know you as Turtle. So Turtle I am so sorry for your loss. When I talked to Shondell on your wedding night he was so happy and finally in true love.Shondell was a great person. Very kind, very respectful. I was priveledged to have him as a friend also as Air Force Veteran to serve by my side. I will hold all the memories of him staying at my house, playing video games when we were young, working on classic cars together, or I should I say I tried to help him and but he was the master.
To the family,
I am truly sorry for the loss of your son,your brother. Be proud of him for what he accomplished. I loved him like a brother.
If any of you are in need I am there for you.
You all are in my prayers.
God Bless,
Donald J. Royer Sr
Family
Amanda Blackwell
August 28, 2007
A.J.~ You know you have always hold a speical place in my heart and I love you dearly. I know you love Ken with all your heart and he WILL always be in your heart. I wish today and tomorrow go as smooth as they can go for you. I will see you Friday and we will spend some time together. I really wish I could be here for you for today and tomorrow. Just call if you need anything. I love you and I love Ken and he is in my prayers and thoughts. I know my family welcomed him into heaven like I know your family did. I love you A.J. Call if you need anything.
Jeni Martin
August 28, 2007
Autumn- I am very sorry to hear of your loss. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Kenneth will be with you always.
Lots of Love
Christi Herzer
August 28, 2007
Deepest sympathies and warmest wishes for the family. I really wish that Shondell was a bigger part of the Harris family and I knew him better as a cousin. As much as he will be missed on this earth, I know he will be welcomed into heaven, especially by his
Me-Maw Harris, who loved him so much.
Kathy Lambeth
August 27, 2007
Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.
Paula Shafer-Morin & Brian Morin
August 27, 2007
We were so sorry to hear of your loss. The thoughts of many are with you at this time of sorrow.
Sharon Blackwell
August 27, 2007
Dear Autum, Amanda & I are sorry we cannot be with you at this time. You are in our hearts and prayers. Amanda will see you Friday. Love Sharon & Amanda Blackwell
Ronnie & Toni & family Harris
August 26, 2007
You have our deepest sympathies. Our hearts go out to you at this time and in the days ahead. Shondell will be missed.
David & June Ovdenk
August 26, 2007
Autumn, You are in our Prayers. I Know Shondell Will Be Missed . We Loved Him Dearly. As A Aunt & Uncle ,Shondell Was Just Like Another Son To Us. I Can Remember when he was born in Columbus,ga. We Will Miss Him As You Will, And May You Find Comfort In God's Love and in Your Memories Of "Shondell" And The Wonderful times that have shared with your loved one .. Love From "Shondell's" Aunt June & Uncle Hippie, and Dallas Ovdenk.
Love From The Family
Tim & Marcy Sutton
August 26, 2007
Autumn,
Tim and I are very sorry for your loss. Tim really enjoyed the time that he worked with Ken at the station.
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