Earl Rogers Keyes

As the Great Depression struck worldwide in 1929 and permeated its’ way throughout the south, financial devastation struck the Elton Keyes family in Texas and times were very hard for this young family of nine. Earl and his five brothers and one sister were living in a tent with their mother and father. Promise of jobs and a brighter future drew the Mississippi natives back home. So, deep into the early years of the Great Depression in 1935, the Keyes’ family of seven loaded up in their worn-out Model-T Ford and left Benbrook, Texas, pulling a covered wagon with all of their earthly belongings. They didn’t know they were poor. And they knew that what mattered was that they loved one another and took care of each other.

Earl recalls how good his family was to him and many other people. One of his fondest memories as a child after he contracted polio and couldn’t get around very well was that his oldest brother, Woodham, had to quit school early to work and help support the family. Woodham was working at the Western Auto in Laurel and he saved some of his work money on the side and bought Earl a bicycle to help him get around easier.

He said he has never forgotten how good his family and other people were to him. He wanted to return the favor and pass it on.... So, in later years, he found a way to help his family and other people.

Earl graduated from George S. Gardiner High School in 1945 in Laurel, MS. He loves to affectionately recall those days and his school with great respect and fondness. He continued to attend Gardiner school reunions in Laurel and visit the old school grounds. On a recent visit, he visited the old high school to reminisce with his wife Shirley and had a photo shoot with his niece Carolyn Keyes Shedd from Laurel.

After attending Jones County Junior College and serving in the Mississippi National Guard, Earl worked as a disc jockey and sportswriter for WAML Radio in Laurel. Thus began his intense love for sports.

In December of 1952, Earl married the late Hallie Houston Harris Keyes of Laurel. Together, they had three children: Richard Earl Keyes, Peter Franklin Keyes, and Susan Keyes, who currently reside in Ridgeland.

He then found a profession where he could help people. His interest in law led him to choose a career as an attorney, defending others. It was not easy, but his wife Hallie supported him and he attended school at night and worked hard to complete his degree and finish law school.

In 1952, Earl entered Jackson School of Law and was later instrumental in the merger of Jackson School of Law and Mississippi College School of Law. He began his law career in 1954 with A. F. Summers, former Attorney General of the State of Mississippi. He then joined the law firm of C. Arthur Sullivan and John Sullivan. Later on the firm became Sullivan, Sullivan, and Keyes. During all of Earl’s years of practicing law, he maintained the 5.0 Pre-eminent Peer Rating for Highest Level of Professional Excellence, highest ethical standing of the Martindale-Hubbell Attorney Ratings. He was a very successful attorney who practiced all facets of law, including corporate law, family law, and criminal law.

Becoming a lawyer was a dream come true for Earl and it gave him the opportunity to be able to help his children and others in their challenges of life. To know Earl is to love him.... and especially, if you were lucky enough to have him on your side of the courtroom. He was a worthy opponent if you ever had to face him as your adversary.

Earl became an attorney in Jackson for Johnson & Johnson, Hoffman La Roche, Roche Laboratories & McKesson, to name a few. He specialized in malpractice insurance defense and corporate law. He partnered with attorneys from New York and won a most notable case involving the acne medication called Accutane that went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States and set a precedent, chronicled in the encyclopedia for legal cases, The Southern Reporter.

Earl was always tenacious and relentless in court, fighting for the underdog with a steadfast, unwavering spirit; evidenced by his record in the courtroom, as he never lost a murder case.

Earl loved people and had many business affiliations and was awarded many honors. He served on the Board of Directors of the Bay Springs Bank, Interstate Industries, and American Empire Life Insurance Company. He served as Secretary/Treasurer of Lexington Products Corporation. He was President of Medi-Key Corporation.

Earl also served on the Board of Directors and as President of the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Assn., and Sec/Treasurer of Miss Plaintiffs Bar Assn. He also served as President and Vice-President of the Hinds County Bar Assn. and was awarded Mississippi College Lawyer of the Year.

Earl’s love for the Ole Miss Rebels was unsurpassed. In 1945, he became interested in Ole Miss sports. He became good friends in the mid-40s with legendary Ole Miss recruiter Tom Swayze. (Swayze led Ole Miss to baseball championships and later became an assistant football coach under the legendary Johnny Vaught.)

Earl was instrumental in sending three valuable recruits from Laurel to Ole Miss through his friendship with Swayze: Harold Maxwell, Melvin Singfield, and Bruce Bradley; thus, Swayze’s long-standing love and respect he had for Earl Keyes. Swayze began sending him free tickets to all of the football games and Earl’s love for Ole Miss football began to grow.

“According to Earl”, one of his greatest feats was his influence in convincing his brother Woodham’s son, Jimmy Keyes, of Laurel, to go to Ole Miss as a linebacker and placekicker, who had an outstanding career, and was later inducted into the Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame, and went on to play for the professional team, the Miami Dolphins in Miami, Florida.

And from his early childhood Earl had always loved all sports, although he was unable to engage in many outdoor activities at that very young age due to his polio. In later years, he made up for it playing endless hours of other sports. While in high school, he played on the George S. Gardiner basketball and track teams. Continuing that pursuit, he lettered in track at Jones County Junior College. He was often seen on the golf course at the Jackson Country Club and he competed in league tennis for years.

Earl and his former wife Hallie began competing in the Mississippi Senior Olympic Tennis Games in their early 70’s and this led to their participation in the National Senior Olympic games. Earl played team tennis for many years in men’s doubles and mixed doubles with his wife Hallie. He also participated as a member of the Mississippi Men’s senior basketball team and he also played in track & field events. Earl and his family traveled all over the U.S. to participate in the National Senior Olympic Games in places such as San Antonio, TX, Alexandria, VA, Tucson, AZ and the Wide World of Sports at Disney World. Yes, Earl would go anywhere, anytime, and load up his wife and all three children to an event to be a part of a competition in any sport. He then continued playing in the Jackson indoor courts and at his home up until his late 80’s.

Earl was a faithful, life-long member of the original Broadmoor Baptist Church on Northside Drive in Jackson for about 65+ years, which is now located in Madison, MS.

He is preceded in death by his late wife, Hallie Houston Keyes; his parents, Bertha Woodham and Elton Keyes; siblings, Paul Revere Keyes, William Clarence (“Dub”) Keyes, Woodham Elton Keyes, and Betty Keyes Butler.

He is survived by his second wife, Shirley Egger Keyes; his brothers, Billy Wayne Keyes (Flora, MS), and Roy Lee Keyes (Petal, MS); his three children, Richard Earl Keyes (Sheila), Peter Franklin Keyes (Sue) and Susan Keyes Ward all of Ridgeland, MS. His seven grandchildren, Marion Keyes Gowdey (Andrew) of Meridian, MS; Krysten Keyes Jernigan (Jay), Adam Keyes, Franklin Keyes (Rachael), and Houston Keyes (Madison) all of Madison, MS, and Ryan Ward and Hallie Brett Ward of Ridgeland, MS. And his three great grandchildren Millie Gowdey, and Lynnon and Harris Jernigan.