Gary Walton Key passed away peacefully at his home on Galveston Island on May 9, 2026, at the age of 69. 

Gary, or Coach Key to all who know and love him, was born in Louisville, KY on May 26, 1956. He spent the formative part of his childhood in Brownsville, helping out on his family farm and raising a ruckus with his younger brother Scott and many cousins. Gary attended Edmonson County High School, where he played basketball and led the state in scoring in 1973 and 1974. To this day, he holds the title of lead scorer in Edmonson County.

Gary went on to attend Western Kentucky University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in History, cum laude. It’s here where he met his wife Jeanne, a nurse at a nearby hospital. 

Gary earned his Master’s of Education at University of Kentucky in 1982, and as a graduate assistant, coached for the university’s baseball program. 

In 1982, Coach Key and Jeanne moved to Galveston Texas, where he continued his teaching and coaching career. It is in Galveston, where Gary, who loved the weather and the people, chose to start a family and establish long-term roots. During his tenure at O’Connell, Ball High, and Galveston College, his accomplishments include leading the ‘86-’87 OC Bucs to win a state championship, taking multiple Tors teams deep into district playoffs, and coaching players who would eventually go on to play at the collegiate and professional levels. 

If you’ve taken Government and Economics as a Senior at Ball High in the past 38 years, chances are you’ve had Coach Key as your teacher and often quote his famous catchphrase “there’s no such thing as free lunch!” 

Anyone who’s participated in his summer baseball camps or driven by the cages on 83rd in the evenings, can attest to his commitment to instilling a love and passion for the game. 

While the community celebrates him as a teacher, mentor, and coach, his most treasured relationships are with his family, near and far. On the field he was no nonsense, but off the field, he could be found grocery shopping with his three young daughters hanging off a cart, working in the yard out in the sun with Jeanne for hours on end, or hunting for the best Black Friday deals way too early the day after Thanksgiving. 

As good a parent as Gary was, he shone brighter as “Pops” to his five grandchildren. They could count on him to have a stocked snack drawer, supply all the toys his daughters refused to buy, and always have a kind word or joke on hand. Hanging out poolside with his family is where he was most joyful. 

From his beginnings on the farm in Kentucky, his close-knit family taught him to love and care deeply for others, a lesson he brought to this island community, and will be his legacy. 

Gary is survived by his wife of 44 years, Jeanne Key; his daughters Lauren (Drew), Lindsay (Brad), Caitlin (Daniel); grandchildren Bear, Millie, Field, Milo, and Rain; brother Scott (Jennifer) and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. Gary is preceded in death by his parents Walton and Dorothy Key. 

A memorial service will be held on Saturday May 30, 2026 at 11:00 am at the Ball High Tors Baseball Field (83rd Street and Stewart Rd in Galveston). Please dress casually, just the way Dad liked it.

 In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: 

Galveston Lassie League: https://square.link/u/0noiAdJn

Galveston Little League: https://square.link/u/QtNl0dTf?src=sheet

Edmonson County youth sports (Parks and Recreation Department), P.O. Box 353, Brownsville, KY 42210.