Cornelia Key

Cornelia Buck Key, age 88 of Lampasas, TX died Friday July 10, 2015 at home. Cornelia was born in Elmira, NY, April 6, 1927 the daughter of Joseph Wallace Buck and Marjorie Ball (Eldredge) Buck. She attended Emma Willard School, graduating in 1944. She later attended Wheaton College in Massachusetts and received a B.A. in Art History in 1948. Upon college graduation she and a group of friends boarded a ship and went to Northern England, there to cycle around the country. Cornelia moved to New York and worked for W.J. Sloane department store in New York City. She met a young Naval Academy graduate and later married Harry Newton Key Jr. on Feb 24, 1951. Cornelia was a Navy wife (active in Navy Relief) and traveled to many duty stations throughout Newton’s career, including a stint on the naval attaché at the London embassy. They moved to Austin after Newton retired from the Navy and she explored Austin’s architectural history. They moved to Lampasas upon Newton’s retirement from Texas Department of Community Affairs and built a home overlooking the Lampasas River. She was very involved in community work and enjoyed membership in The Thursday Luncheon Club, The Central Texas Herb Society, The Lampasas Quilt Show Board, United Way, Hosts, The Brown Bag and Books group, Keystone Square Museum (served as President), Smith Cemetery at School Creek Cemetery Association (Vice-President), and helped secure the Main Street Project for Lampasas (and as a result served as Spring Ho Grand Parade Marshal). She also was an active member of The Presbyterian Church in Lampasas, where she served as a deacon and elder and wrote pieces for the church newsletter. Survivors include her husband, H. Newton Key Jr. of Lampasas Son, Newton E. Key of Charleston, Illinois Granddaughter, Jenny Renn Key of New Orleans, LA Brother, George Buck of Bellerose, NY A memorial service will be held on Wednesday July 15, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Lampasas. A private burial of Mrs. Key’s ashes will be held at a later date.