Paul Lincoln Keyes
Keyes
Paul L. Keyes, 83, of Longboat Key died Feb. 15.
He was born Feb. 12, 1938, in Brooklyn, New York, to George and Evelyn.
While still young he moved with his family to Baldwin, New York, on Long Island.
He graduated from Chaminade High School, where he excelled in intramural sports and held the pole vaulting record for many years. He spent 12 summers as a deckhand on a charter fishing boat scouring the East Coast.
He attended the University of Notre Dame, where he was less than a stellar student but continued his interest in sports by joining the boxing team. Thanks to a love for the outdoors, he graduated with a degree in Earth sciences.
He returned to Long Island to work fishing charters but, encouraged by his parents, took a road trip to Texas to search for work in the oil business.
He landed a job as a photo geologist with Humble Oil in Baytown, Texas.
He married Sally Ray Broussard and a few years later moved to Spring Branch, Texas, to become an exploration geologist, then the head of the Exploration Planning Group.
Relocating to New Orleans, he became a district geologist.
While in New Orleans, he helped discover the Jay Field, which is the largest onshore discovery in the United States.
Moving back to Texas, the family relocated to Kingwood and he became the division manager for basic exploration for Exxon (The renamed Humble Oil Co.). His final role at Exxon was as the chief geologist and geologic manager for the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic basin, where he was involved in the development of the oil fields in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and was instrumental in the building of the Alaska pipeline.
He accepted a position as the vice president of exploration for Forest Oil Co. in Denver and later began a consulting business and worked with numerous companies.
His final role in the energy business was as the president and CEO of PanOcean Energy based in Jersey, England, where he discovered a 60-million-barrel oil field and built a 150-mile pipeline from oil fields in Gabon, Africa, through the dense jungles to deliver the oil to the coastline ports, an unparalleled feat of engineering.
He was named one of the top CEOs in America in 2006.
His story is a truly American story — a story of a below-average student achieving incredible success through sheer determination and hard work.
He retired in 2007 and settled permanently on Longboat Key.
Throughout his life, he was an avid golfer, enjoyed many sporting activities and hobbies and especially, thanks to his early work on a fishing boat, loved to fish.
His love of the water and fishing inspired his purchase and involvement in Keyes Marina in Holmes Beach, which is run by three of his sons — Jim, Joe, and Jon.
A memorial service and interment will be held at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church, 4280 Gulf of Mexico Drive, at a date to be determined. Memorial donations be made to the Keyes Family Foundation, 5941 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, FL 34228.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sally Ray (Broussard); sister Barbara and husband Kenneth Stanley, sons Timothy Paul and wife Margaret Poltorak, James Patrick and wife Julie Oppie, Michael John and wife Diana Baldwin, Paul Joseph and wife Cindy, William Matthew and wife Tammy Henning and Jonathan Andrew; grandchildren Dustin, Alec, Christian, Felicia, Michael and Megan; great-grandchildren Aiden, Avery, Ainslee and Ethan Paul; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Shawn Michael Koerber
Shawn Michael Koerber, 33, died Feb. 14.
Mr. Koerber was born Oct. 21, 1987, in Bradenton to John and Debora (Greig) Lane.
He spent his childhood on Anna Maria Island and attended school at Anna Maria Elementary.
An avid cook, he enjoyed sharing his culinary talents with others.
He also enjoyed music and creating his own raps.
Since he was a boy, he had a passion for wrestling and he worked security for Renegade Wrestling events and was training to become a referee.
He had a big heart and he loved his friends and family.
He was loved. He will be truly missed by all who knew him.
Survivors include his father, John; sister Bambi VaDeer; brothers Skyler, Jonathan and Ethan; girlfriend Amanda Fiorentino; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.