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The Led County Ledger
Your Hometown Source Of Local News
Hometown Newspaper of Patricia Moore
Volume XLV- Number 49
Leesburg, Georgia - - August 9, 2023
Fifty Cents
Getting to Know Our 2023 LCHS Distinguished Alumni
Mr. Richard E. Dudley, Jr., Class of 1992
Special to the Ledger
by LCHS Senior
Autumn McSwain
The LCHS Dis
tinguished Alumni
Committee is proud to
recognize Mr. Richard
E. Dudley, Jr., Class
of 1992, as a member
of the 2023 Class of
Distinguished Alumni.
The purpose of this
program is to recognize
outstanding alumni who
have maintained a high
standard of excellence
and distinguished them
selves through their
work, personal accom
plishments, or in the
lives of others. These
individuals exemplify
the ideals of the Lee
County School System
and the community it
serves, and thus serve as
role models for current
and future Lee County
High School Students.
Richard Dudley,
formerly Petty Officer
Dudley, is currently a
financial planner who
lives in Arkansas.
Dudley is well known
throughout his commu
nity for his helpful atti
tude, intelligence, kind
heartedness, fairness,
work ethic, and strong
leadership qualities.
Richard Dudley Jr.
was born in 1975 in
Leesburg, Georgia,
to Freda Dudley and
Captain Richard Dudley
Sr. His father served as
a huge inspiration for
Richard throughout his
life. Dudley recounts
that his father was
strong and firm, but
also was fair and kind.
Throughout his career,
Dudley Sr. was a naval
officer, firefighter, and
electrician. Richard
Dudley Sr. served as
the primary role mod
el for who Dudley, Jr.
is today. His father’s
explanation of the Navy
SEALs inspired Dudley
to become one. This en
couraged Dudley, Jr. to
work throughout school,
aiming to follow in his
father’s footsteps as a
naval officer.
DOHERTY, DUGGAN,
HART&TIERNAN
INSURORS
Home • Auto • Business • Life/Health
P.O.Box 71628 (229)888-2040
Albany, GA 31708-1628 800-628-2040
2301 Dawson Road (31707) Fax (229) 435-3036
www.ddhtins.com
Lee County
Board of
Education
will meet
Monday,
August 14
5:30 p.m.
at the Board
of Education
office
126 Starksville
Ave., N,
Leesburg
Richard Dudley’s
early years were charac
terized by hard work in
sports and in school. In
high school, he was in
the school band, on the
football team, and the
wrestling team. Dudley
recounts football teach
ing him true teamwork
while wrestling taught
him how to take care
of himself. While he
excelled in his sports, he
also excelled in academ
ics. Dudley graduated
from Lee County High
School with honors.
His hard work paid off
as evidenced by his ac
ceptance into UGA. His
father encouraged him
to go to college and get
a degree before joining
the military. This would
later prove invaluable in
his future. He continued
to work hard in college,
earning a B.B.A. in
Risk Management and
Insurance in 1996. After
receiving his degree,
Dudley enlisted in the
Navy to pursue his
dream of becoming a
Navy SEAL. As a Navy
SEAL from 1998 to
2002, Dudley excelled
as he ranked up to a
Petty Officer 1st class
and earned two Naval
Achievement Medals.
During his time in the
Navy, Dudley also met
his wife and mother
of his two children.
At the age of 29, Dud
ley was accepted into
officer candidate school
(OCS). Prior to starting
OCS, Dudley had to go
through a medical exam
in which he learned that
he had Type 1 Diabetes.
This diagnosis not only
meant that he could not
attend OCS but also
meant that he could no
longer serve in the mil
itary. On first hearing
this news, Dudley was
devastated. Being a
Navy SEAL had been
his lifelong dream. Dud
ley medically retired
from the Navy in 2002,
being honorably dis
charged in 2008.
Despite his initial
disappointment, Dudley
soon recouped, believ
ing that this misfortune
happened for a rea
son. With his business
degree that his father
encouraged him to
obtain, Dudley started
working in the finan
cial planning industry
where he works to this
day. He is a CFP (Certi
fied Financial Planner)
with the Don McDon
ald Group. As a CFP,
he helps people make
smart, responsible, and
time sound financial
decisions. This moti
vates him to continue
his career even though it
is not his dream job. He
also remarks on the fact
that this job allows him
to spend far more time
with his children than
he could have while
serving in the military.
This means that while
his diagnosis at first was
heartbreaking, it turned
out to be a blessing in
disguise.
Today, Dudley finds
himself a natural leader.
He is a leader to his
children and to his com
munity. One example of
leadership is his teach
ing youth sports for the
children of his commu
nity. Dudley teaches the
values of good sports
manship, hard work,
and teamwork that he
learned throughout his
life to the rising gener
ations. His community
knows that if anyone
is in need, Dudley will
be the first to meet the
need. He is a man of
his word and cares for
others as if they were
family. Former Petty
Officer Richard Dudley
is more than just an ex-
Navy SEAL. He serves
his community as a
dedicated financial plan
ner and as a role model
for all ages. Dudley and
his wife of 22 years,
Michele, have three
children, Kaleb, Dylan,
and Emma ages 20, 18,
and 12, respectively.
We will be celebrating
all our Distinguished
Alumni on September
14 and 15, 2023 with a
banquet and recognition
at the football game.
For more information
on how you can cele
brate with us, contact
Patsy James at patsy@
leecountyfamilyconnec-
tion.org or (229) 903-
3993. °
Board Of Education Appoints Truitt Superintendent
The Lee County Board
of Education held a
called meeting Tuesday,
August 8th to name
Kathleen E.K. Truitt
as superintendent of
the Lee County School
System. At the July 24th
meeting, Dr. Truitt was
named as the sole final
ist for the position.
Kathleen E.K. Truitt
has a Doctor of Edu
cation in Educational
Leadership from Co
lumbus State University
in Columbus, Georgia, a
Specialist in Educational
Leadership from Geor
gia College and State
University in Milled-
geville, Georgia and a
Leadership Certificate
from University of West
Georgia in Carrolton,
Georgia. She has a Mas
ter of Teaching, Middle
Grades Math/ELA from
Spalding University in
Louisville, Kentucky
and a Bachelor of Arts
in Communication, Uni
versity of Louisville in
Louisville, Kentucky.
Kathleen E.K. Truitt
Dr. Truitt
has been
a teacher,
assistant
principal,
princi
pal, and
assistant
superinten
dent. She
believes
each child
deserves
a learning
experi
ence that
not only
Promoting Community Participation
and Support - The Lee County 5-Year
Comprehensive Plan Update
by Sid Walker
Executive Assistant/
County Planner
The Board of Commis
sioners of Lee County,
Georgia, are pleased to
announce the release of
the Lee County 5-Year
Comprehensive Plan
update. In line with the
Georgia Planning Act
(O.C.G.A. 45-12-200
et seq., and 50-8-1, et
seq.), this plan represents
a concerted effort to
promote coordinated and
comprehensive plan
ning, demonstrating Lee
County’s
and the
State of
Georgia’s
commit
ment to
the wel
fare of its
citizens.
The
Lee
County
5-Year
Compre
hensive
Plan serves as a blue
print for future growth
and development of Lee
County, encompassing
a thoughtful synthesis
of community input,
expert analysis, and
strategic foresight. We
are delighted to share that
the comprehensive plan
survey has been posted
on our official website,
www.lee.ga.us and on our
Facebook page, www.
facebook.com/leecounty-
ga, providing easy access
for all interested stake
holders to review the
document.
One of the cornerstones
of our planning process
is community participa
tion and collaboration.
We extend our sincere
invitation to the esteemed
leaders and residents of
Leesburg and Smithville
to actively engage with
the plan and contribute
their valuable insights.
Through open chan
nels of communication,
we seek to harness the
collective wisdom and
aspirations of our diverse
community members.
Together, we can con
struct a shared vision that
resonates with the unique
needs and ambitions of
each city, while fostering
unity and progress for
Lee County as a whole.
The Lee County 5-Year
Comprehensive Plan also
represents an essential
See Plan,
page 5A
To Subscribe Call 229-759-2413
meets their needs but
values their interests and
desires.
Dr. Truitt has been
an Assistant Superin
tendent of Instruction
and Learning for Henry
County Schools in Mc
Donough, Georgia since
June 2018.
In addition to teaching
in elementary and mid
dle schools in Georgia,
Dr. Truitt has taught in
Alabama, Tennessee and
Kentucky.
8 10499
02456 8
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