Jessie H. Key

VHCA (10/10/2008)

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Mrs. Jessie H. Key.  Mrs. Key was the founder and former Administrator of Blue Ridge Nursing Center in Stuart, Virginia. 

As documented in the 2003 A Brief History of the Virginia Health Care Association, Mrs. Key was an early leader in the development of the long term care profession in Virginia.  She joined Stanley Wilcox, then Virginia Nursing Home Association (now the VHCA) President, to write the nursing home regulations for Virginia in 1969.  The document numbered less than 20 pages.  According to Mrs. Key, “When someone fails to do what they are supposed to do – that’s the reason for a regulation.”   Jessie Key would help define quality nursing home care in Virginia.  A young nurse working in North Carolina, she had returned to Stuart to aid her invalid father.  In 1960, Clarence and Jessie Key, with two young children in tow, opened Blue Ridge Nursing Home.

One young girl who worked at Blue Ridge the summer before college ultimately returned as a registered nurse and became the DON - she was Patsy Hobson, RN, now Administrator of Stanleytown Healthcare Center.  Of the young people who served Blue Ridge residents, several have become leaders in long term care themselves, including Mrs. Key’s children: Clarence Key Jr. who returned after college to become Personnel Director at Blue Ridge, and Katie Key Connelly who became Marketing Director.  Mona Clark ran Mrs. Key’s business office and later served as administrator in several Virginia facilities.   Blue Ridge’s cook of 18 years, Mrs. Ruby Hancock, and her daughter spent many hours with residents.  Hancock’s daughter, Janet Holt, became Administrator of Landmark Assisted Living in Stuart where Mrs. Key later became a resident.  Even Mrs. Key’s grandson-in-law, Tracy Turman, is a nursing home administrator.  According to Victor Williams, Blue Ridge Nursing Center Administrator, who completed an Administrator-In-Training program under Mrs. Key, “She was the best.  She could scare you to death.  If things weren’t getting done to her satisfaction, she would go put on her nursing shoes.”

Mrs. Key, a recipient of the James G. Dunton Distinguished Service Award, died Thursday evening.  While her funeral arrangements have not been formally announced, it is our understanding that visitation will take place Saturday evening at the Collins-McKee-Stone Funeral Home in Martinsville and funeral services will be conducted at the First United Methodist Church of Martinsville at 2:00 on Sunday afternoon.  The family has indicated that a nursing education scholarship fund in Mrs. Key’s name has been established at the Patrick Henry Community College.