The Kelsey Family

As recorded in Edna Chant's book, "Beautiful Charleston," the Kelsey family name has long been associated with the down-to-earth, friendly honesty characteristic of the founding families of our quaint village. William Kelsey, Dwight's great-great grandfather, was one of the first settlers in the area, appearing with other ancestors in various history books, in and around "Farmersville", which later became known as Athens. We are pleased to carry on the tradition, as the Lake's oldest full sales & service marina ... stop by, say hello and listen to a few "porch stories"!

While the three Kelsey boys were growing up in Charleston, the Hill family was coming to the Lake every summer, from Syracuse, NY. Hugh Hill, Judy's dad, a high school teacher, was known as an avid "lake defender", and he, with the help of several others, were instrumental in saving the lake from farmland runoff, called the Glen Elbe project, in the '70's. A tribute to him stands to this day, a small lighthouse on "The Point" of Hen Island.

Dr. Addison's Camp, where Judy & Dwight live during the summer season, is the original cottage on the west side of Hen Island. It was bought originally as a fishing camp in approximately 1922 by Judy's maternal grandparents, the Hraba's, then of Syracuse, NY. Judy's mom, Dorothy, spent every summer at the lake, ROWING her father and his fishermen friends all over the lake. When Dorothy married Hugh Hill, the cottage was sold to them, with life rights to "Gram" Hraba. The kids, Judy & Marty, "grew up" (though Dwight says Judy never grew past 3' tall!) every summer of their lives, on the Lake. Many friends were made, many memories....best of all was the friendship with the Kelsey family.

Many readers may remember Dwight's father, Bill Kelsey, himself a legend on the lake, and who passed on in July, 2005. The family home on the main "corner" of Charleston Village is now occupied by Dwight's brother, Wayne Kelsey, and family. Dwight's mom, Phyllis, was a wonderful lady, who, with Dwight, actually started the present Kelsey's Trailer Park, just behind the old family home. Wayne's main business is Kelsey & Sons Construction; you will see him and son, Brett, on his huge barge every day on the lake, transporting all kinds of construction materials and equipment to and from the islands (powered by an EVINRUDE, of course - that engine works harder, every day of its life, than any other engine on the lake, without a hiccup). Eldest brother, Roger, and family, have the local insurance business, between Charleston and Athens, offering discount insurance rates to Charleston Lake Association members.

Little did Judy and Dwight know that, after so many years, each with a previously dissolved marriage, they would "meet again" in the summer of 1993, and were married on October 30 of that year. Dwight thinks it was Halloween, and makes some "reference" to some blonde flying into his life on a broom....but, it wasn't Halloween(!) Judy gained a wonderful daughter, Holly, and Dwight says he got a bookkeeper and a cook. With Judy's background of being at the lake year after year, she knows the lake, most of the people in the area, and enough about boats and motors to be a help at the marina. She started helping with the bookwork/sales and now Dwight happily leaves most of that to her. It has become a great partnership business - they just wish it had happened YEARS AGO!

Judy & Dwight are fortunate to have a situation where they are able to close the marina for the season, and spend the winters in their winter home in Inverness, Florida. Located about 20 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, just north of Tampa, and south of Ocala. Because they are so busy in the summer, it is in Florida that they often see the most of their Canadian friends!

Come on by for a barbeque, SOUTHERN STYLE!