Keith Robert Verges Irving, Texas Obituary

Keith Robert Verges

Keith Robert Verges of Dallas, Texas, left us far too soon at the age of 55 on September 12, 2016. He was a devoted, dedicated and steadfast husband, son, brother, uncle and friend to many. Keith lived a full and active life, was a quick study on any pursuit and accomplished more than most could do in many lifetimes. He will be greatly missed. He was born February 7, 1961 in Norman, Oklahoma, grew up in the North East, and graduated from Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut. In just three years of attendance, he earned three Bachelor of Science degrees from Southern Methodist University in mathematics, chemistry and physics, becoming the first recipient of the school’s Frank C. McDonald Memorial Award in Physics in 1981. He went on to earn his Master’s Degree in Applied Physics from Princeton University. During this time, he worked as a project physicist at Teledyne-Geotech and spent a cold summer as part of a team installing the first seismic station on the continent of Antarctica in 1985 on a government contract for which he was awarded the Antarctica Service Medal from the United States Department of Defense. Also during this time, he met his future bride Laurie, who joined him on his many adventures in life. Though he loved his work in physics, he felt the need to change course and decided to end his studies towards his Ph. D and return to SMU to pursue a law degree. Since earning his Juris Doctor Degree, Magna Cum Laude, in 1989, he has been with the law firm of Figari & Davenport in Dallas, Texas, for 27 years, many of those years as a partner. Keith was a highly successful and well respected corporate litigator, having defended and prosecuted business litigation matters, class actions, and other cases in state and federal courts throughout Texas and nationally. In 2005, he was named a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly and most recently was named one of the “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2015” by D Magazine. Outside of his family and career, Keith’s passion was always cars. He was a true car enthusiast and was both a skilled driver and mechanic. He began restoring cars in his teens and continued to work on, race, teach, and consult on cars for the rest of his life. Keith was a popular instructor at performance driving and car club events throughout Texas for years and regularly performed skillful full race preparations on his personal racecars and had completed aftermarket modification on everything from Ford Mustangs to Mazda Miatas to Ferraris. He also produced and administered the Texas Triathlon Driving Event for 2000-2001, and one of his racecars appeared in Automobile Magazine in 2003 when he taught a journalist how to best hustle around the private racetrack. In line with his love of motorsports and being a strong advocate for advanced driver training, Keith was the founder and CEO of Apex Driving Academy, based at MotorSport Ranch in Cresson, Texas, where he was an active member. Keith was also a successful SCCA licensed driver, being respected as one of the best club racers in the Southwestern United States, having placed in and won many races and events with SCCA, NASA Series, One Lap of America, and POCA Speed Trials. He primarily drove Spec Miata (SM), Formula Mazda, Spec Racer Ford (SRF), Lotus Elise production car, Radical SR8, Porsche GT3 Cup, and Dodge Viper ACR-X, in sprint and endurance races. In 2010, he was third in the inaugural Dodge Viper Cup and in 2013, he won the inaugural SRF SCCA Majors race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, in an 85-car SRF field, and managed top-10 finishes in all 4 races in SRF and SM. Additionally, Keith held the Spec Miata lap record at the MotorSport Ranch. His most recent pursuit was in aviation, where Keith earned his private pilot’s license and flew his own plane regularly with his wife. Keith also enjoyed traveling the world, classical music, fine wine and a good cigar now and then. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Laurie Sutor, of 22 years, father James T. Verges, brother Philip and his wife, Heidi, brother John and his wife, Jill, sister Stasi and her husband, Jake Turrell, brother-in-law Steven Sutor and his wife Linda, nephews Jackson Verges, Calvin, Dawson, and Ferris Turrell, Adam Sutor, Joshua Hall, and his wife Ashley, Adam Sutor, William Sutor and Jared Sutor, nieces Madeleine, Grace, Esther and Vivienne Verges, Remy Turrell, and Sara Varn, her husband Trey, daughter Perry and son Eli, step-mother Deanna Verges, step-brothers Clay Winn, his wife Mandy and daughters Amaya and Keira, and Hogan Winn and his wife Erin, and his beloved dog Penny. He was preceded in death by his mother Marianne Murphree Verges. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the American Cancer Society, or the NBIA Disorders Association. Information about the memorial service can be obtained by contacting the family.
February 7, 1961 - September 12, 201602/07/196109/12/2016
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Obituary

Keith Robert Verges of Dallas, Texas, left us far too soon at the age of 55 on September 12, 2016. He was a devoted, dedicated and steadfast husband, son, brother, uncle and friend to many. Keith lived a full and active life, was a quick study on any pursuit and accomplished more than most could do in many lifetimes. He will be greatly missed. He was born February 7, 1961 in Norman, Oklahoma, grew up in the North East, and graduated from Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut. In just three years of attendance, he earned three Bachelor of Science degrees from Southern Methodist University in mathematics, chemistry and physics, becoming the first recipient of the school’s Frank C. McDonald Memorial Award in Physics in 1981. He went on to earn his Master’s Degree in Applied Physics from Princeton University. During this time, he worked as a project physicist at Teledyne-Geotech and spent a cold summer as part of a team installing the first seismic station on the continent of Antarctica in 1985 on a government contract for which he was awarded the Antarctica Service Medal from the United States Department of Defense. Also during this time, he met his future bride Laurie, who joined him on his many adventures in life. Though he loved his work in physics, he felt the need to change course and decided to end his studies towards his Ph. D and return to SMU to pursue a law degree. Since earning his Juris Doctor Degree, Magna Cum Laude, in 1989, he has been with the law firm of Figari & Davenport in Dallas, Texas, for 27 years, many of those years as a partner. Keith was a highly successful and well respected corporate litigator, having defended and prosecuted business litigation matters, class actions, and other cases in state and federal courts throughout Texas and nationally. In 2005, he was named a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly and most recently was named one of the “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2015” by D Magazine. Outside of his family and career, Keith’s passion was always cars. He was a true car enthusiast and was both a skilled driver and mechanic. He began restoring cars in his teens and continued to work on, race, teach, and consult on cars for the rest of his life. Keith was a popular instructor at performance driving and car club events throughout Texas for years and regularly performed skillful full race preparations on his personal racecars and had completed aftermarket modification on everything from Ford Mustangs to Mazda Miatas to Ferraris. He also produced and administered the Texas Triathlon Driving Event for 2000-2001, and one of his racecars appeared in Automobile Magazine in 2003 when he taught a journalist how to best hustle around the private racetrack. In line with his love of motorsports and being a strong advocate for advanced driver training, Keith was the founder and CEO of Apex Driving Academy, based at MotorSport Ranch in Cresson, Texas, where he was an active member. Keith was also a successful SCCA licensed driver, being respected as one of the best club racers in the Southwestern United States, having placed in and won many races and events with SCCA, NASA Series, One Lap of America, and POCA Speed Trials. He primarily drove Spec Miata (SM), Formula Mazda, Spec Racer Ford (SRF), Lotus Elise production car, Radical SR8, Porsche GT3 Cup, and Dodge Viper ACR-X, in sprint and endurance races. In 2010, he was third in the inaugural Dodge Viper Cup and in 2013, he won the inaugural SRF SCCA Majors race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, in an 85-car SRF field, and managed top-10 finishes in all 4 races in SRF and SM. Additionally, Keith held the Spec Miata lap record at the MotorSport Ranch. His most recent pursuit was in aviation, where Keith earned his private pilot’s license and flew his own plane regularly with his wife. Keith also enjoyed traveling the world, classical music, fine wine and a good cigar now and then. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Laurie Sutor, of 22 years, father James T. Verges, brother Philip and his wife, Heidi, brother John and his wife, Jill, sister Stasi and her husband, Jake Turrell, brother-in-law Steven Sutor and his wife Linda, nephews Jackson Verges, Calvin, Dawson, and Ferris Turrell, Adam Sutor, Joshua Hall, and his wife Ashley, Adam Sutor, William Sutor and Jared Sutor, nieces Madeleine, Grace, Esther and Vivienne Verges, Remy Turrell, and Sara Varn, her husband Trey, daughter Perry and son Eli, step-mother Deanna Verges, step-brothers Clay Winn, his wife Mandy and daughters Amaya and Keira, and Hogan Winn and his wife Erin, and his beloved dog Penny. He was preceded in death by his mother Marianne Murphree Verges. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the American Cancer Society, or the NBIA Disorders Association. Information about the memorial service can be obtained by contacting the family.

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