Key Howard

Known for his wit, charm and generous heart, Key’s life was anything but ordinary. Born in Vancouver, B.C., on May 28, 1929, Key’s talents as a pianist and singer were apparent at an early age. To further his education in music and the theatre, his family migrated to Los Angeles, where he attended the Hollywood Professional School. Three years in the U.S. Marine Corps, with service in the Korean Conflict, earned his U.S. citizenship.

Key’s career in the entertainment industry would include performing as pianist, singer, song writer and arranger, radio talk show host, and producer and actor in award-winning short films and community theatre, as well as consultant and buyer of entertainment. An early success was being cast as the star of an award-winning radio show produced in San Francisco, the White King Soap Show. Trying his luck in New York, he performed in the vocal chorus of Radio City Music Hall.

In 1951, he joined the vocal singers group The Even Dozen on the Dinah Shore Chevy Show, beginning a 73-year membership in Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in addition to the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). This led to a series of performances on some of the more popular TV shows of the 1950s including The Ernie Kovacs Show where he sometimes performed as a member of the Nairobi Trio. Throughout the 1960s, Key’s many musical and artistic talents included appearances on the Nat King Cole Show, writing special material for Bob Hope, producing several mini-lounge revues for the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas, and writing the unique musical charts for the popular duo Sandler and Young. Notably, Key was offered the position of Musical Director for an up-and-coming comic, Don Rickles. With Don for over a dozen years, he was based in Las Vegas and worked in venues across the country.

In 1976 he accepted the position of Director of Entertainment for the Ramada Inns corporation headquartered in Phoenix, using his vast knowledge of the industry to purchase entertainment for the company’s 70-plus hotels.

The experience led Key to establish his own entertainment consulting business for the hotel industry. His major client was the Midway Motor Lodges based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In 1987 he partnered with the Orlando-based entertainment agency T. Skorman Productions to establish a meetings and conventions division.Settling in the Central Florida community, Key found ways to “give back” in exchange for the many blessings in his life.

As member of the Central Orlando Kiwanis Club, Key gave his time and talents to help meet the goal of Kiwanis, to serve children in all phases of their development. Among his activities with the club was organizing a successful bass fishing tournament, with proceeds going to Give Kids The World, arranging for members of the club to read to Head Start classes, and establishing the annual tradition of distributing over 150 turkeys to low-income families at Thanksgiving. For several years, he portrayed Santa Claus for the Kiwanis Aktion Club and Head Start classrooms, Meals on Wheels’ annual seniors’ holiday luncheon and other nonprofit organizations.

An actor in community theater, Key served as the volunteer interim director of the Orlando Civic Theatre during negotiations for its purchase by the University of Central Florida. He was board member of both the Florida Motion Pictures and Television Association and the Variety Club. Key was secretary emeritus of Turning Point, a substance abuse recovery program.

Key wrote and produced a series of vignettes called “Ain’t Life Grand!” that reflected his personal philosophy and enthusiasm for life. You can hear them occasionally on the Growing Bolder Radio Show.

As he liked to say: “When the goblet of life is struck from my lips…I pray it be empty!”

Key is survived by his wife of 43 years Susan (Look), daughters Jill Howard Petersen, Ellen Como and DeAnna Feldman (Gary), two grandchildren and two great grandchildren, all of Eugene, Oregon. Key was preceded in death by his adoptive parents, Harvey and Ethel Sauder, and former wife JoAnn (Hansen), the mother of his three children.

A Celebration of Life for Key will be held on Thursday, June 27 at 3 pm at the Alfond Inn, 300 E. New England Ave., Winter Park, Florida. In lieu of flowers, family members request that donations be sent to the Salvation Army.

Seminole County: https://sanford.salvationarmyflorida.org/sanfordfl/

Orange County: https://orlando.salvationarmyflorida.org/

Or the Central Orlando Kiwanis. Checks, payable to Central Orlando Kiwanis, can be sent to P.O. Box 2326, Orlando, FL 32802. Or donate to the Florida Kiwanis Foundation online. https://secure.qgiv.com/for/generdon/