Susan Croce Kelly

Susan Croce Kelly is a former newspaper reporter, executive speechwriter, and the prize-winning author of two important books of Route 66 history, and a biography of an early days woman newspaper journalist. Her most recent book, Newspaperwoman of the Ozarks: the Life & Times of Lucile Morris Upton (University of Arkansas Press), speaks to Kelly’s own love of the newspaper world, her love of Ozarks history, and her fascination with the time just beyond most people’s memories.

Kelly grew up in the St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood, earned a bachelor of science degree from Purdue University, and a Research Master’s degree in American History from Saint Louis University. Her career led her to be a newspaper reporter in St. Louis as well as Springfield, Missouri, an award-winning columnist in Texas, a public relations executive in St. Louis and Chicago, and longtime executive speechwriter. She worked in Belgium and England, founded and edited Ozarks Magazine between 2001 and 2008, and from 2017-2024 was managing editor of OzarksWatch, a magazine of Ozarks history and culture published by the Ozarks Studies Institute of Missouri State
University.

She and her husband, Joel Kirkpatrick, live in Springfield. They have three children and two perfect grandchildren. Kelly’s most recent awards include the 2024 Missouri Library Association’s 2024 Literary Award, History Award Medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution for her work on US 66 history, 2024 Nonfiction Book Award from the National Federation of
Press Women, and 2024 Missouri Writers Guild Best Non-Fiction Award. For more on Kelly’s writing and books, visit: http://susancrocekelly.com.