9
THE ARTS
On Our Cover
Melissa Elzey “For the love of it.” Born in McRae, Georgia in Telfair County, Melissa Elzey is now a resident of the mountains. There is just something about those south Georgia accents, isn’t there? They are as sweet as the tea with a Gone with the Wind sophistication. After her father, Jack McGinty passed away when she was 14 years old, Melissa and her mom made the move to Dublin, Georgia. Having a fascination with photography and having worked on school newspapers and yearbooks she planned to further that education. In 1977 Melissa took the photography course at North Georgia Technical College. She explored the world of Wedding Photography but found it can be very stressful. She found more pleasure in God’s beautiful creations: the landscape, animals and nature. Melissa was employed at an electronic company where she worked for 29 years. In that time she married and had a beautiful daughter and three grandchildren. She beams, like most grandmothers, when she speaks of them. After retiring, her marriage ended and Melissa decided to make the move to the mountains to be near her mother, Jan Rutland. She knew she would find peace and plenty of natural beauty to photograph here. What she didn’t plan for was finding a man who she adores and who cherishes her, but that is exactly what God had planned. Attending a bible study at Tiger Methodist Church with her mother, Melissa met Gary Elzey. The couple soon began to date and that included cameras and hiking, both of which she loves. Melissa needed a job, retirement didn’t suit her, she had always worked. She heard through her mom that Dr. Callahan was going to be the children’s dentist at the Rabun County Health Department and was in need of a dental assistant. Without formal schooling she was offered “on the job training” with Dr. Callahan and she accepted. A much needed relationship formed between them. Dr. Callahan became a mentor and father figure to her. In fact in 2016 Dr. Callahan walked her down the aisle when she married Gary Elzey, a former Rabun County Middle School and High School teacher who taught math, science and technology.
38 www.gmlaurel.com - July 2021
