Philip "Bart" Barton Key

Philip Barton (Bart) Key, 79, of Stevensville, Maryland, passed away on January 14, 2024 after a short but courageous battle with leukemia. Bart was born on May 22, 1944 to Francis Scott and Elizabeth (Betty) McKeever Key in Washington, D.C. He was a member of the first four-year graduating class of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in 1962 and went on to earn a business degree from Georgetown University. After college, he began an illustrious, 27-year career at Singer Link Systems, where he became the Director of Tactical Nuclear Simulation. After retiring from that position, he enjoyed a second, equally successful career at the Sherwood Forest Community, where he served as the General Manager for 25 years. He was widely admired by the residents and his colleagues not only for his expertise in business matters, but also his winning, charismatic personality. Bart married his beloved wife, Kristie (Sheehan) Key, in 1981, and together they created a large, loving, blended family that would grow to include eight children and nineteen grandchildren. He had a life-long passion for boating, fishing, and crabbing on the Chesapeake Bay, and he loved to share those pastimes with his family and friends. He also loved being on the sidelines to cheer on his children and grandchildren as they competed in various sports. He is survived by his dear wife of 43 years, Kristie Key, their children, their spouses, and grandchildren. They include: Anne and Michael Ardizzone and their children, Luke, Colin, and Emma; Philip and Erika Key and their children, Madeline, Chloe, and Philip III; Fred and Karen Key and their daughters, Emily, Courtney, and Abigail; Johanna Merryman and her son, Ryan; Kristin and Richard Demma, and their sons, Preston, Aidan, and Ronan; Janis and Joaquin Sequeira and their children, Amelia and Sebastian; Sarah and Kenny Seeling and their children, Kenzie and Colton; and Mary and Mark Parme and their children, Hayden and Tilghman. Bart is also survived by his brother and sister, Francis Scott Key (Ann) and Mary Hendricks and her family. He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by all, whether they knew him as Bart, Dad, PopPop, or Captain Key. A viewing will be held at Fellows, Helfenbein and Newman Funeral Home in Chester, Maryland on Friday, January 19th from 1:30-3:30pm. All are welcome to join in a Celebration of Life following the viewing from 4-6pm at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club in Stevensville, Maryland. Bart’s family wishes to thank the amazing nurses who treated him with such care and compassion in his final days. In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Bart Key may be directed to support Oncology Nursing at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. Please make checks payable to Johns Hopkins University. Gifts may be mailed with a memo indicating that this gift is in memory of Philip Barton Key to the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, 750 E. Pratt Street, Suite 1700, Baltimore, MD 21202 or make a gift online. If you’d like to make a gift online, please visit the link (https://secure.jhu.edu/form/Kimmel) and select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu. Please type in "Oncology Nursing". In the next step please note donation is in Memory of Philip Barton Key.’

Philip "Bart" Barton Key

May 22, 1944 - January 14, 2024