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Show ST. GEORGE 4 — For the week of December 5, 2008 A way with words But his business is both bhudson@thespectrum.com WASHINGTON CITY local and national in scope. — When Lee Kelley moved to St. George last June, he took a leap of faith. Instead of looking for work, he opened his company Desert Sun Writing. Although Kelley has lived in Utah “on and off” since 1996, he spent that time in the Salt Lake area until “my entire family decided to converge on St. George earlier this year: It didn’t hurt that he had local associations because he had served in Iraq with the 2nd Battalion of the He is an editor for the local- ly produced Main A way to say thanks to veterans writing. However, because of 222st Field Artillery. HUDSON The Spectrum — www.thespectrum.com There he majored in creative @ Veteran lets his keyboard work its magic on variety of industries BY BOB ee ene Street Business Journal and writes for Career Pro Global and a variety of other companies as well. “T've always been a writer as long as I can remember; said Kelley. But, he didn't get into the business full-time until recently. Before that he was a career military man and has worked in a variety of other fields as well. Originally from New. Orleans, Kelley came West on an ROTC scholarship at the University of Montana. some unusual circumstances he didn't graduate from there. His degree is from the University of New Orleans. “I just kind of landed here,’ he said of the journey which brought him to Utah. “Things worked out and I stayed,’ ~ He re-enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1999 and became a commissioned officer in 2002. He worked full-time for the Utah Army National Guard for five years before heading to Iraq as a volunteer. There he served as the Triple Deuce's signal officer. He also resumed his writing career. “While in Irag I wrote the blog wordsmithatwar, which received quite a bit of noto- McKay D. Christian, MD: 674-6062 C. Kerry Stratford, MD: 674-6063 Gus C. Pendleton, MD: 674-6065 Howard -L. Chamberlain, MD: 674-6066 Bob Hudson / St. George Neighborhoods Lee Kelley is owner of Desert Sun Writing, a firm that spe- cializes in various forms of written communication. riety, Kelley recalled. He was featured on KSL-TV and in the Salt Lake Tribune. He eventually wrote columns from Iraq for the New York Times and was selected as a Time magazine person of the year. But, while he was gaining attention on a professional level, “my whole life fell apart’ He noted that his mother died of breast cancer, Hurricane Katrina destroyed his home town and his marriage fell apart. Clark J. Staheli, MD: 673-7003 Scott D. Barton, MD: 674-6067 Nancy R. Davis, CFNP: 674-6068 Curtis A. Carter, MD: 674-6061 . Monday - Friday: 9am - 7pm >_ Saturday: 9am - 2pm DAY or NIGHT (he’s now 20). The terrorist Obstetrics & Pediatric Care Adult Medicine &gent ned “New Patients“ Welcome Tle re 188 at St. George, UT 84790 Urgent Care & After Hours Clinic Monday - Friday: 9am - 7pm Saturday: 9am - Zpm mcm Most Insurances Accepted men and When he returned from Iraq he took custody of his two children, Chloe and Lee, © now ages 8 and 6. Jim “Thad to re-invent myself? Matheson he said of his return from the cause of freedom. U.S. Rep., Utah's the war. I visited 2nd District After a year as a project manager for Motorola, he a Salt Lake City middle headed to St. George. “I haven't worked (at a school with Army Reserve regular job) a day since I got Sgt. Eddie Quimby. We were here in June, Kelley said. invited to talk to the sev“Instead I do a wide range enth- and eighth-graders about what Veteran's Day of stuff? means to them. Sgt. Quimby — a veteran of the conflict in Afghanistan eSee WORDS on pg. 10 preparing to deploy to Iraq — told them that he was their age on Sept. 11, 2001. He enlisted when he was 17 Jon P. Hubbard, DO: 674-6060 Complete Family Health Care & Urgent Care have a lot to be thankful [« this year. On Veteran's Day, as I spent time with Utah veterans, I was again reminded of how we can never say thank you enough to the Tues. - Saft. {lam - 6pm ; www.comicsplus.com — ; attacks on our country — as well as being the son of a military man — motivated him to volunteer. Like so many of our young Utah soldiers, Sgt. Quimby represents the very best and the brightest. Our soldiers’ com-: mitment to duty and their sacrifice motivate me in this job to keep the promises that have been made to soldiers during — and after — active duty. After a long effort, Congress has passed — and the President has signed — a new GI Bill, which offers a greatly improved package of education benefits. The legislation fueling the movement e See VETERANS on pg. 10 |