James G. Keys Jr.

James Gilbert Keys Jr. was born on October 12, 1949 in Steelton, Pennsylvania through the loving union of Mary Alice Chivis and James Gilbert Keys. God sent his angels for him on Thursday, June 10, 2021 and James answered His call. James, known affectionately as Jim and "Lil Jim" to his Pennsylvania family, grew up in Steelton, before his family moved to San Antonio, Texas and later to Yellow Springs, Ohio. James accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at the Mt Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Steelton. He also sang in the Junior Choir and loved Sunday School and Vacation Bible School classes. James also served as a Civil Air Patrol Cadet during his youth in Steelton at the former Olmstead Air Force Base. In his youth he was a scholastic and athletic standout. In Steelton, James attended the historic Hygienic Elementary School prior to its desegregation, and continued his education in the public schools all the way through to Steelton-Highspire High School. His family moved to San Antonio during his senior year, where he graduated from Oliver Wendell Holmes High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in Business & Marketing (cum laude) from Central State University in Wilberforce, OH. He was active in Central State's student body as a Chief Justice of the Student Supreme Court, a member of the Delta Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and performed as a disc jockey on the student radio station. Following his 1971 Central State graduation, James and his college sweetheart, Paulette Alice Fears, were married in Cincinnati. The couple was blessed with two sons, James G. Keys, III and Joseph William Keys, both of whom they adored. James and Paulette recently celebrated their "golden" 50th anniversary on June 5, 2021, by each other's side. James' first professional position was with The Ford Marketing Corporation as a dealer representative for three years before deciding to attend law school at The University of Cincinnati. He was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1976 and began what ultimately became a 40-plus-year career as an attorney in Cincinnati, Ohio. He began his law career at the law firm of Gaines & Gaines and later became a co-founding partner of Harmon Davis and Keys, a former preeminent black-owned law firm in Cincinnati. In 1998, James started his own law practice, The Keys Law Office, specializing in estate planning and administration, business formation, small business legal services and corporate law. During his distinguished legal career, he also served as magistrate in The Court of Common Pleas Domestic Relations Division of Hamilton County and Assistant Ohio Attorney General Case Presenter in Hamilton County Probate Court. James was also active and highly regarded in his community, serving on The Cincinnati Recreation Commission and a board member of The Atrium Medical Center, AMC Foundation, The Community Foundation of West Chester Ohio, The Fitton Center for Creative Arts and The Wetherington Golf and Country Club, Jack & Jill of America, Incorporated and a Connecting Link of The Links, Incorporated. There is nothing that James loved more than his family, and nothing he took more pride in than being a loving and attending father and husband. As his sons grew up, married and started their own families, James' capacity for love and pride in his "crew," as he affectionately called them, only increased to also include his daughters-in-law and grandchildren. James was also a "man of the people," who enjoyed bringing joy and laughter to those around him. Socializing was like breathing, and he loved getting together with friends, whether it be planned meet-ups, impromptu fish frys, or periodic gatherings on "Thursdays." He was a long time member of the Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church and always enjoyed starting his Sundays with an uplifting sermon at the early service followed with an excellent brunch as he believed the message would be better internalized with a full stomach. Extended family was also important to James and he always enjoyed traveling back to Pennsylvania for special occasions or routine visits. He was happy to open his home to extended family, even going so far as to host one of the biggest family reunions for the Peyton Johnson family in Cincinnati. He was preceded in death by his father, James Gilbert Keys, Sr. of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; his mother-in law, Helena Helm Johnson of Columbus, Ohio; father-in-law, Joe Fears of Cincinnati , Ohio ; his paternal grandparents, Elizabeth May Brown Keys and James Albert Keys; his maternal grandparents, Katie Johnson Chivis and Howard Walker Chivis, all of Steelton, Pennsylvania and nephew, Jabari Stewart of Manassas, Virginia.James' love and out-going spirit will forever be cherished by his loving and dedicated wife of 50 years, Paulette Keys of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, formerly of Cincinnati, Ohio; their two sons, James III (Deanna) Keys of Pembroke Pines, Florida and Joseph (Angela) Keys of Plano, Texas; four grandchildren, Alani Lucia Keys, James Gilbert Keys IV, Joseph William Keys II and Melina Michelle Keys; his mother, Mrs. Mary Alice Chivis Keys of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; his siblings, Florence (Robert) Stewart of Manassas, Virginia, Pastor Daniel (Pamela) Keys of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and Dr. Patty Jo Keys of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; his nephews, Abdalla (Alexandra) Stewart and Maani Stewart; niece, Danielle Keys; uncle, Samuel (Lucy) Chivis of Washington DC; aunt, Elizabeth Keys Williams of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Albert and Dolores Keys, an uncle and aunt who were like big brother and big sister to him, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. James G. Keys Jr. will forever be missed, but never forgotten!