She recently found a vintage Oscar de la Renta scarf dress, which she said is beautiful. She displays her collection of antique rhinestone costume jewelry in a glass-top coffee table at home, so people who visit can see it. Many people don’t realize that antique clothing is often made from expensive, high-quality materials that would be too expensive if purchased new, she said.

Another attractive feature of vintage clothing is that it’s somewhat unique. Chances are you won’t run into someone at a party wearing the same Oscar de la Renta scarf dress with vintage rhinestone broach.

It’s said everything old becomes new again if you wait long enough. Is there a certain element of time travel involved in wearing fashions from a bygone era? Kelly neither confirmed nor denied my suspicion.

Another of Kelly’s hobbies is watching old, black-and-white movies, especially those that feature Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, and Elizabeth Taylor. Garbo has a great screen presence, she said. Favorite films include “To Catch a Thief” with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, and “Giant,” featuring Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. And musicals. The songs, dancing, and bright, colorful costumes in many musicals put her in a good mood, she said.

History is clearly a preoccupation. She loves to read historical fiction, especially books based on England’s Tudor dynasty, the British monarchy, Queen Elizabeth I, Henry VIII, and all that lot.

Kelly said she loves her job and co-workers and looks forward to going to work each day. She enjoys cooking Italian. Homemade minestrone soup, lasagna, and tomato sauce using all fresh ingredients are some of her specialties. She also loves Indian food.

She likes bike riding, tennis, and other outdoor activities. She also likes coffee and brownies. She has an impressive collection of brownie recipes. “You mean there’s more than one way to make brownies,” I naively asked. “Oh, there’s an endless variety of brownies,” she responded. “People don’t realize how diverse brownies can be. They don’t have to be chocolate. They could be caramel brownies with caramel icing, for example.”

The oldest of three children, Kelly often read aloud to her two younger siblings when they were children. Her father is a retired state patrolman with whom she shares a love of movies. Her mother still teaches elementary school. Her brother lives in Dublin and is pursuing a career in nursing and her sister, who also lives in Dublin, is working toward her bachelor’s degree.

Kelly’s grandfather, who passed away several years ago, was a farmer in Dexter. Her grandmother is still vibrant, loves to shop and go on trips with her church family.

“She’s quite a character,” Kelly said. As a child, Kelly said she wanted a pony, but her mother fell off a horse once and broke her arm, and she vetoed the idea. She couldn’t get a motorcycle because her state-patrolman father was very serious about driver safety and didn’t approve. They compromised and got her a go-cart.

Kelly loves the beach. She and Bradley and her parents go on family vacations together, most often to Jekyll Island and Hilton Head, S.C.