EGSC News

Mr. Woodruff Denton “Denny” Key Jr., passed away Saturday, August 26 at the age of 75. Denny served on the Board of Trustees of the East Georgia State College Foundation for more than 20 years. 

During his time as Chair of the Foundation, Denny’s leadership provided direction for the college to grow and expand while still holding true to the strong roots that anchor the mission of providing a quality education at an affordable price to all.  He had a vision for the future that supported new ideas and innovation. Denny was always willing to go the extra mile to see that EGSC was successful.

Denny was a life- long resident of Swainsboro.  He was a 1966 graduate of Swainsboro High School and married his sweetheart, Peggy Young, in 1967.  They moved to Athens and both graduated from the University of Georgia in 1970.   After graduation, Denny received his commission to the US Air Force. 

Following his service, Denny and Peggy returned to Swainsboro in 1973 and went to work on the “ground floor” in his family’s business, Dolores and Woody’s Shops.  After mastering the art of retail management, Denny became a partner in the “Seven Shops in One” at the corner of Main and Green Street.  Dolores and Woody’s attracted loyal customers from all over the region and grew to become a rich tradition in the legacy of Emanuel County, as did they Key’s commitment to the community.

After the closing of Dolores and Woody’s, Denny became the Vice President of CBS Financial Services, a subsidiary of the Citizens Bank of Swainsboro.  He quickly became everyone’s “go-to insurance guy” and continued to be a quiet driving force for progress and the creation of a better life for all people in our region.

Denny was past president of Rotary Club (Paul Harris Fellow), past president and board member of the Chamber of Commerce, past president of East Georgia State College Foundation, president of Swainsboro Bank Shares, past president of Citizens Bank Board of Directors, vice president and manager of CBS insurance with Citizens Bank.  He was also a past member of the Swainsboro Jaycees.   Denny was a lifetime member of First Methodist Church of Swainsboro where he was a Sunday School teacher and served on many boards.

To read Denny’s full obituary, visit https://www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com/obituary/WoodruffDentonDenny-KeyJr?fbclid=IwAR1KPOLhs4eamyybQpOjx_k18iU-EybtuF6RGXW1XLuZHzH9sLRR31fiaWE.