Kay Elaine Keys

Kay Elaine Keys entered this world into her parents' loving and welcoming embrace in December 1947 in San Angelo, Texas, and departed this earthly realm from Austin, Texas to return to her parents' loving and welcoming embrace, on January 13, 2022 after suffering a stroke on New Year's Day. Her father, Albert Lee Keys, owned a cotton farm in Wall, while her mother, Frances Mulkey Keys, was an elementary school teacher in Wall. Kay graduated from Wall High School, and then continued her love of learning, attaining her PhD in Philosophy from the University of Texas in Austin. She taught high school in Midland/Odessa and later was an English Instructor at UT Austin. But computers were coming on the scene, and they fascinated Kay. She pursued additional education and training and became a Systems Analyst, spreading the joy of tech love amongst various state agencies before her retirement in 2012. Kay had many passions in life: She loved art -- creating it, experiencing it all over the world in her travels, and sharing it with others through the Art Museum of Austin (now The Contemporary) as a docent. The Contemporary at Laguna Gloria with the villa of Clara Driscoll was a favorite place of beauty, sanctuary and contemplation for Kay. Later, she never missed the Austin Studio Art Tours, and always made a purchase to support a local artist. She loved the performing arts as well, and was a volunteer usher for both the Texas Performing Arts at BASS and the Long Center in Austin. And how Kay loved traveling! She made the Grand Tour of Europe as part of her college graduation celebration, which planted the seed for her love of world travels. She later travelled to Egypt (3 times!), Peru, Crete, Greece, Malta, Turkey, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Mexico and Canada. She also enjoyed traveling the United States: New York Illinois, Arkansas, Georgia, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Michigan, Kentucky, and California. Kay loved Austin! She particularly waxed nostalgic over the Austin of the 70's-'90's. She loved BookWoman, Half-Price Books, Celebration!, Crystal Works, Nature's Treasures, and all the great "mama 'y papa" Mexican restaurants. She loved Austin outdoors: Zilker Botanical Gardens, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Towne Lake/Lady Bird Lake, McKinney Falls, and Mayfield Park. It was in Mayfield Park that she and her wife, Cindy Tincher, held their handfasting/wedding ceremony in October 2001. Over the next two decades they shared spiritual journeys, adventures abroad and stateside, tending their gardens to create and enjoy their own private "park" at home, loving and being loved by their clowder of cats, and practicing "eat, pray, love" in the best of ways: in the good company of family and friends. Kay leaves behind family and friends too numerous to name, claim or count. Among them: her wife, Cindy, and her adopted-by-marriage family - mom-in-law Mary, and sibs-in-law Carolyn, Donna, Gene & James. She also leaves to Cindy's care their beloved felines Lili, Luna and Romeo. She was greeted at the Rainbow Bridge by Malcolm, Merchona, Mozart, Thomas Hobbes, Toni Lynn, Weasel, Apollo, and her most beloved Burmeses: Isis, Sekhmet & Bastet. Kay was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Frances Keys, and her cousins May Jackson and Robert Ann Jones. She is survived by her cousins Jan Duncan (ne Jackson) and Michael, Dallas Franklin (ne Duncan) and Sam, Jackson Duncan and Sarah, and Roy Jackson and Terrie. She also leaves behind her beloved sister-of-the-heart, Janet Cobb, and fellow world traveler and lover of books and words, Katherine Staples. Kay was interred near her parents in the Wall Protestant Cemetery on Tuesday, January 18. A memorial service is planned in the spring in Austin, when the weather warms and, hopefully, the pandemic cools. In lieu of flowers, Kay asks you give to Project Hope, Habitat for Humanity, Doctors Without Borders, Americares, Girls Gotta Run, Austin Pets Alive (or your local animal shelter or sanctuary) or a charity of your choice.