For West Haven City Council

Who Is Clarence Kelley?

Family: Clarence was born in Ogden and raised in West Roy. He is the 11th child of a blended family. He learned early on the joys and challenges of a large family. He has been happily married to his sweet wife, VaDawn, for more than 32 years. They have resided in West Haven for 15 years. He is a father of four children who are now married and a grandfather of two grandsons. Their hobbies have always been his hobbies. His moto is “time and love are all they really want.”
Hard work: He learned hard work at a very young age, mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, feeding the animals, gathering the eggs, etc. At the age of 10, he found his first job away from home at Stanger’s Green house. In between the work and chores, he also made time for his education and found time to play sports. As an adult he worked to put himself through school by working various jobs before starting up a career in the aerospace industry. He is currently a lead engineer for Lockheed Martin.
Service: After High school graduation he left on a 2-year mission to serve the people of Costa Rica and Panama. It was there that he was introduced to real poverty. By reaching out to serve and help the people he came to recognize that it’s not money nor worldly things that bring love, joy, and unity into your life. Upon returning his service never stopped, he volunteered in Boy scouts, coaching, refereeing, church, schools, and community. He and his wife, VaDawn, even had the privilege to serve for their church by presiding over the El Salvador Santa Ana mission for three years from July of 2017 to July of 2020.
Education: He learned early in life that hard work can also lead to success in the classroom. He attended Weber State University where he earned a bachelors of science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. He also minored in Mathematics and Spanish. This led to a great career in the aerospace industry. He believes in the importance of educating our children. He also believes that every child is capable of great things given the right guidance and direction.
Listening: One of his greatest attributes is his ability to listen and understand. This allows him the ability to build bridges between opposing sides. He listens to both sides before ever making decisions. He believes in building people up and not tearing them down.
Financially responsible: He learned at a very young age to avoid personal debt, to save for a rainy day, to be smart in your investments and to differentiate between wants and needs. It is that kind of living that allowed him to take a three-year leave of absence in the middle of his career to volunteer in El Salvador. It is that type of thinking that is needed in our national, state, and local government.

How Can Clarence Help West Haven?

Family

Parents have the most direct and immediate influence on a child’s health, education and welfare. Our communities, schools, government and society will never succeed if we try to replace them. Strengthening the family begins with strengthening the parents. Parenthood doesn’t come with an instruction manual. So, what can government do? Support the parents by teaching them, and organizing them so they can teach each other.

Service

Serving together creates unity. It makes you feel like you are part of the collective and that you are contributing to your community. It helps you feel ownership and pride for your homes, neighborhoods, and city. If you want to make the world a better place start by serving where it matters most.

Education

Clarence believes that education begins in the home. Parents have the responsibility to teach their children. We have great schools and teachers but without the support and involvement of the parents they can only do so much. He also believes that a well-rounded education comes in a variety of different ways. We need to create a variety of opportunities for our children to learn and develop different skills. We are in a constantly changing world and we are continually adjusting so we need to hear from our parents, think out of the box, and continue to find new and inventive ways to help our children develop.

Financial Responsibility

Clarence believes in responsible spending. This is how he has lived his personal life. We should avoid debt and spend within our means. Our spending should be focused on the things that matter most and improve our community for the future of our children.

Growth

The growth of our city is a very serious issue. Growth is a good thing if handled correctly. Growth provides homes for our children and grandchildren if they desire to live in West Haven. Clarence believes if we are good neighbors, communicate well, and work together we can solve the growth issues of West Haven.