Dr. Carson Meade Keys

Dr. Carson Meade Keys, age 87, of West Jefferson, died on Saturday, September 28, 2013 at Ashe Assisted Living Memory Care in West Jefferson. Dr. Keys was born in Statesville, NC on July 3, 1926 to the late Carson and Dell Hart Keys. He grew up in the Nathans Creek community. He served in the Naval Air Corps during World War II. Dr. Keys graduated from the Medical College of Virginia (now Virginia Commonwealth University) valedictorian of his class. After receiving his medical degree, he completed post graduate medical training at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Pontiac, Michigan. Following his return to Ashe County he engaged in a general medical practice. He served as acting Public Health Officer in Ashe County during the 1950's and implemented studies on the fluorine content of water in Ashe County. He served as chairman of the Annual Christmas Seal Drive, chairman of the Ashe County Cancer Society, and was president of the Ashe-Watauga Medical Society in 1954. Dr. Keys made emergency helicopter house calls during the snow of 1960. He was General Chairman of Ashe County's project for polio immunization to knock out polio in 1964. He delivered over 1,000 babies in Ashe County. He left his practice in Ashe County in 1965 to take a residency in Internal Medicine at Presbyterian Medical Center in San Francisco, CA. He was appointed Chief Medical Resident during the final years of his residency. After being qualified in Internal Medicine, he entered practice in Santa Cruz, CA; where he served as Director of the Cardiopulmonary Department of Community Hospital in Santa Cruz and Medical and Cardiac Consultant for the University of California at Santa Cruz. He returned to North Carolina in 1982 where he was engaged in in the practice of Medicine and Pharmacy. In 2012 the North Carolina Pharmacy Board recognized Dr. Keys on 60 years of service.
He was preceded in death by his first wife Elaine Horton Keys and one son, Van Keys. He is survived by his wife, Hannah Bourne Fugate Keys, two sons and daughter in-laws, Dr. Christopher Keys and wife Cindy of Santa Cruz, CA, Timothy Keys and wife Debbie of San Jose, CA, two daughters and son in-laws, Kay Herndon and husband Rick of Blowing Rock, Brenda Brewer and husband Kevin of Concord and nine grandchildren.
Graveside committal services will be held on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 12:00 noon at Ashelawn Memorial Gardens with Rev. A.B. Weaver and Rev. Dr. Perry Miller officiating. Military rites will follow the graveside service. The family will receive friends from 10:30-11:30 am on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at Badger Funeral Home.
Words of comfort and remembrance may be viewed or sent to the family through our website at www.badgerfuneralhome.com.

Badger Funeral Home was entrusted with Dr. Keys' arrangements.