Paul Lincoln Keyes

Paul Lincoln Keyes
1938-2021

Paul L. Keyes of Longboat Key, Florida passed away on February 15, 2021 at the age of 83.  He was born February 12, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York.  While still quite young he  moved with his family to Baldwin, NY (Long Island).

Paul graduated from Chaminade High School where he excelled in Intramural sports and held the pole vaulting record for many years.  He spent twelve Summers from 10 years old to 22 years old as a deckhand on a charter fishing boat scouring the East Coast with clients searching for fish.

Paul 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.  Because of his love of the outdoors he graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Earth Sciences.  Paul returned to Long Island for a brief time to work the fishing charters but encouraged by his parents took a road trip to Texas to search for work in the Oil business.  After months of searching Paul landed a job in Baytown Texas with Humble Oil as a photo geologist.  Paul 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 and shortly thereafter published an article for the Energy Symposium. While in New Orleans Paul helped discover the Jay Field, which is the largest onshore discovery in the United States.  Moving back to Texas, the family relocated to Kingwood, Texas just north of Houston where he became the Division Manager for Basic Exploration for Exxon (The renamed Humble Oil Company).  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.

Having exhausted the opportunities offered by Exxon, Paul accepted a position as the Vice President of Exploration for Forest Oil Company in Denver, Colorado. After leaving Forest Oil, Paul began a consulting business and worked with numerous companies including Pennzoil Oil in Houston, EEX in San Antonio, the Earth Sciences Department at University of South Carolina, and PanAfrican Energy based out of Montreal Canada. Paul’s 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 PanOcean’s 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 CEO’s in America in 2006.  Paul’s story is a truly American story; a story of a below average student achieving incredible success through sheer determination and hard work.

His love of the water and fishing inspired his purchase and involvement in the Keyes Marina on Anna Maria Island which is now run by three of his sons; Jim, Joe, and Jon.

Paul retired in 2007 and settled permanently in Longboat Key, Florida.  Throughout his life, Paul was an avid Golfer, enjoyed many sporting activities and hobbies and especially, because of his early life on a fishing boat, loved to fish.  His love of the water and fishing inspired his purchase and involvement in the Keyes Marina on Anna Maria Island which is now run by three of his sons; Jim, Joe, and Jon.

Paul is predeceased by his parents, George Keyes and Evelyn Keyes and his brother Peter Keyes.

Paul is survived by his wife, Sally Ray (Broussard) of 60 years, his sister Barbara (Keyes) Stanley, her husband Kenneth Stanley, his six sons and their wives, Timothy Paul (Margaret Poltorak), James Patrick (Julie Oppie), Michael John (Diana Baldwin), Paul Joseph (Cindy), William Matthew (Tammy Henning) and Jonathan Andrew; his grandchildren Dustin, Alec, Christian, Felicia, Michael, Megan; and his great grandchildren, Aiden, Avery, Ainslee, and Ethan Paul; along with many cousins and nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church 4280 Gulf of Mexico Drive Longboat Key, FL 34228 at a date to be determined. Internment will follow the service at the Memorial Garden at St. Mary’s.

SERVICE:
A memorial service will be held at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church 4280 Gulf of Mexico Drive Longboat Key, FL 34228 at a date to be determined. Internment will follow the service at the Memorial Garden at St. Mary’s.

DONATIONS:
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Keyes Family Foundation; a nonprofit foundation established by Paul and Sally to give back to local communities:
The Keyes Family Foundation
5941 Gulf of Mexico Drive
Longboat Key, FL 34228