William "Bill" August Key was born May 24, 1964, in Lusk Wyoming. At the age of 14, he moved to Vici, Oklahoma. Upon moving to Vici, his family moved in across the street from a brown-haired girl. That is where he met the love of his life, Leann Hutchens. Bill and Leann had a special relationship that began in 1978. That relationship included little love notes they would send each other, like "if you love me, check yes or no" and throughout the years, he would leave little poems around for Leann to find if he was to be gone overnight. They were married on May 10, 1986. Three sons blessed this marriage Zachary August, Nicholas Isaac, Dakota Austin Everett. Bill's family was his pride and joy.

Bill was baptized at a young age at the First Baptist Church and later transferred his membership to the Southern Baptist Church in Wheatland, Wyoming. In the summer of 2000, after leading his family to Christ, he and his family became members of the Vici United Methodist Church.

Bill was always a hard worker from a very young age. From selling GRIT Newspapers in Wheatland, Wyoming to working at the Vici Restaurant and Herman's Auto Body Shop. In 1979, Bill was introduced to welding while working part-time at Everett's Welding, owned and operated by his future father and mother-in-law, Everett and Delores Hutchens.  He also worked for Jim Dennis Welding where they built overhead grain bins. After graduating from Vici High School in 1982, Bill earned some oilfield experience while working as a roughneck on drilling rigs for about a year. He went back to work for Everett and started running a welding truck. 6 years later, Bill talked to Everett and told him he wanted to start servicing oilfield customers and to build drilling rigs on his own. Everett told him "Go for it!" and on March 13, 1989, Key Welding Inc. was born.

For the past 35 plus years, Bill and Leann built Key Welding Inc. up and established a reputation that is widely known in the oilfield industry today. From doing rig repair to building multiple drilling rigs from the ground up, Bill had a knack that he could fix anything placed in front of him. For the first several years, Bill did this on his own before expanding and eventually managing 30 to 40 welders for multiple years. In June 2011, Aidreana Hutchens joined the team. She is special to the family in every sense of the word. Her love, care and laughter have made every day brighter. She is a true blessing. After Bill's first brain surgery, he was still on the phone lining up welders for different jobs. Up until recently he was still on the phone telling company men how to fix different things on the rigs. While in Houston receiving his treatment, Bill and Leann went to Joel Osteen's church and saw the world spinning. When he returned home, he built his own version of the world that sets outside of Key Welding Inc., along with many other awesome projects. Over the past three and a half years, Bill has been training Dakota how to manage welders and jobs so that Key Welding Inc. lives on.

Bill believed in working hard and playing harder. Despite his busy schedule, he made it a point to take the family on vacation every summer. Bill had a passion for traveling. His goal for the family was to make it to all 50 states and all the MLB ballparks. The family made it to 36 of the 50 states and 22 of the 30 MLB stadiums. He traveled with all 3 boys, at separate times to Europe, while mom stayed home and manned the fort. He made it to 10 different countries. He was more than excited for his "I made it trip" to Hawaii but never got the opportunity to take that trip due to it being cancelled because of COVID in 2020.

Bill loved all his daughter-in-law's as if they were his own and was beyond proud of his grandkids. His ultimate desire was to be called grandfather, but Parker soon changed it to G-daddy. But through the years with Asher, Addison, Lorraine, Ruthie, Cooper, Kamber and Annie joining the crew, it was shortened even more to G-dad and he wore that name with pride. The kids looked forward to being here with G-dad and Nan to see what adventures G-dad had planned to take them on at the house or at the farm.

The farm "2 Bit Hills" was his happy place. Turning a pasture of stickers into an oasis for his friends and family to enjoy. From the many hours he spent building the "Hole in the Wall," showing anyone and everyone around the place, teaching the grandkids to fish, to throwing any of his friends in "jail," this is where you could find him most of the days. The family made sure that this was where he spent his final weeks.

He is preceded in death by his mother Bernice Espy, his stepdad Ralph Caster, his brother Kevin Key, and a special cousin Pierre Goetz. By his grandparents Albert and Mary Austin. By his in-laws Everett and Delores Hutchens, his brother-in-law Butch Hutchens and his nephew Erik Hutchens. His best friend from high school, Kenny Bowman and later in life his special friend Neil Briix.

He is survived by the love of his life Leann of 39 plus years, his son Zak and wife Amanda, Parker, Asher and Kamber, his son Nik and wife Bailey, Lorraine, Ruthie and Annie, his son Dakota and wife Sadie, Addison and Cooper. Aidreana Hutchens, Ethan and Tate. His brother Melvin Key (Sonya), sister Denise Andrews (Monte), sister Venita McGuire (Brad), sister Delva Nebhut (Melvin), and sister Debbie Campbell (Gordon). His sister-in-law Colleen Hutchens, sister-in-law Debbie Hazelbaker (Wayne) and brother-in-law Buddy Hutchens (LaRessa). Several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and host of friends.

#DontTakeAnyWoodenNickels #RockNRoll #It'sUpToTheManInTheMirror #IGotYourBack #KeepRolling

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to the Vici United Methodist Church.

in care of Shaw Funeral Home

P.O. Box 276, Vici, Okla. 73859