Their love story is proof that the world is smaller than it seems.
Connor's dad, Steve Beecham, and Kelley's best friend, Mary Hannah, are responsible for bringing us together. Our families had been loosely connected for generations through Austell, Georgia — where Kelley grew up and where Connor's mother spent much of her childhood. There were friendships between grandparents, family ties through a local pharmacy, and lifelong relationships that intertwined across decades.
The moment everything came together happened in April 2023 on a back porch in St. Simons Island during Mary Hannah's bachelorette weekend. Steve met Kelley and spent about 45 minutes talking with her. Afterward, he excused himself, claiming he needed to "fix a lampshade." Instead, he called Connor and said, "Dude, I just met your wife."
Meanwhile, Mary Hannah and her sisters were encouraging Kelley to give Connor a chance. A few weeks later, we went on our first date, and the rest is history.
What Connor loves most about Roswell is that it has managed to grow without losing its identity. While many Atlanta suburbs have changed dramatically, Roswell has held onto its charm and sense of community. His grandparents moved here in the 1950s, and the family has deep roots in the city. After graduating from the University of Georgia in 2015, Connor knew Roswell was where he wanted to build his future. Friends used to joke that when he found his wife, he wouldn't propose with a ring, he would propose with a key to a house in Roswell.
Fortunately, Kelley didn't need much convincing. She had visited Roswell years earlier for Alive After 5 and always dreamed of living here. After their wedding, they spent just six months in Brookhaven before making the move north. Today, they live near Canton Street, ride their golf cart into town, fish in their neighborhood pond, and enjoy life alongside wonderful neighbors. What makes Roswell special isn't just the restaurants, parks, or walkability — it's the memories of childhood and the future being built together.
Being able to live, work, and serve in the same community is deeply meaningful to both of them. Kelley works as a counselor and recently joined Anchored Mind, an innovative Roswell-based wellness concept that brings together counseling, nutrition, and fitness to support whole-person health. Connor co-owns Home Town Mortgage with his father, Steve, believing the best way to grow professionally is by becoming genuinely invested in the community he serves.
Their involvement in local businesses and neighborhoods comes from a real love for this city and a desire to contribute to its future.
The moment they knew Roswell was exactly where they belonged came just two weeks after moving from Brookhaven. Those first weeks were difficult as they had moved into their home mid-renovation, surrounded by dust, construction, and uncertainty. One evening, they took a long walk through their neighborhood. As they passed a house, an older woman was tending a beautiful vegetable garden in her front yard. She looked up and smiled.
"You're just in time," she said.
"For what?" they asked.
"To take home some vegetables."
She introduced herself as Pam and filled a large bag with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, jalapeños, and more. As they walked away carrying their unexpected bounty, they kept looking at each other in disbelief. It felt like something from another era, a simple, generous act from a neighbor they had never met.
In that moment, Roswell felt like home.
They hope it continues to be exactly that for every generation that follows, a community where people genuinely care for one another, and where belonging never goes out of style.