Paula Kay Key

For decades and up to a few short weeks ago, Paula Kay (Ampey) Key would call each of her daughters and sons on their birthdays, and belt out the “happy birthday” song. The whole song. Every word. In slow, operatic fashion. They let her. And they loved it, even when they pretended to be embarrassed. Over time, Paula would add her grandchildren and great grandchildren to the rotation, so they, too, could look forward to the musical tribute, which she sometimes left on their voicemail when she couldn’t make a live connection. Sadly, Paula’s sweet voice fell silent on June 19, 2020. It was on that day that she “left this earthly expression,” as she used to say when others made their own final transition. Paula passed peacefully at home in Columbia, Maryland, surrounded by her four children, who had gathered in recent weeks to care for her during her last illness. Paula was born in Paw Paw, Michigan on March 24, 1941, to the late Paul Russell Ampey and Louisa May (Brown) Ampey. She and her younger brother Kenneth grew up in farm country among their many Ampey cousins. Paula attended and graduated from Paw Paw High School. She participated actively in sit-ins and other forms of peaceful protest in the early years of the civil rights movement. While a student at Western Michigan University, Paula met and married Sam Key. After the birth of their first daughter, they relocated to Altadena, California, where they added another daughter and two sons to the roost. Sam was passionate in his pursuit of a professional basketball career, so the family moved to Belgium after he missed making Oakland’s NBA team. They lived there for eight years, during which Paula planned and organized the family’s many vacations throughout Europe and Northern Africa. That’s when Paula developed her zeal for travel. It would remain with her for life. After returning stateside, having recently divorced, Paula set out on a new life adventure, completing travel school, getting her first job as an agent, and establishing residence with her four children in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Not long into her career, she transferred to her travel agency’s Washington, D.C. office, and moved with her two sons to Columbia, Maryland (her daughters were already in college by then). Paula met Dr. Russell Davis a few years later, and the two spent the next three decades together sharing their mutual love of travel, politics, music, and family. Paula tended to Russell with loving care through his long-term illness, until his death in August 2019. Paula leaves to honor her journey, the family she loved so deeply: her four children - Darlynda Key Bogle (David); Kimberlee Key; Michael Key; and Steven Key (Janka); her ten grandchildren - Brandon, Evan, Ryan, Jalen, Brickney (Darnell), Tayler, Kammeron, Kendal, Sidney, and Noah; her five great grandchildren - Benny, Kaleb, Konnor, Alivia, and Zaylah; a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins from the Ampeys and Keys; her many “heart” children and grandchildren, born of additional unions and family expansion; and numerous dear friends close enough to call kin. In this time of extra health precautions, our family will not host a service or other gathering this year. Instead, we will incorporate a brief tribute into the rescheduled “Grand Ampey Reunion” in Paw Paw, currently set for August 2021. According to her wishes, Paula’s ashes will be laid to rest in the family plot with her mother and late brother, also in Paw Paw. We kindly ask anyone wishing to honor Paula with a donation, to please select a charity advancing the health and well-being of children, as nothing broke her heart more than to see or hear of their suffering. Thank you and God bless.

Paula Kay Key

March 24, 1941 - June 19, 2020