Interview by Abernathy Cochran intern Amelia Payne
Meet Lee Dempsey! Lee is a longtime Gainesville resident, is married to Anna and the couple has three children. Lee has worked in the insurance industry for years and is an avid bowhunter.
In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends and family and getting to know people in the community.
We want to thank Lee for recently spending time with us and telling us more about his life and love of Hall County.
Question: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
Answer: “My family owned a dairy business when I was growing up. When I was a freshman at The University of Georgia they sold the dairy and I had an uncle who was with Cotton States at the time. I saw him doing really well as kid growing up so I switched from running the dairy to doing insurance when I graduated from college.”
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County and what do you love there?
A: “Eat at Thai. I get the Siam chicken.”
Q: How long have you lived or worked in Hall County?
A: “I moved here in 1999. My wife’s family was from Athens and mine is from Rome so we decided to meet in the middle geographically and have been here ever since.”
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Hall County?
A: “Ed Waller. I hang out with him two or three times a week and I hear a new story every time we get together and it’s always something funny.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: “My favorite place is the Bahamas. We go every February and every time I leave I wish I was back there.”
Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?
A: “’Greece’ was probably the first movie I saw but my favorite has to be ‘Forrest Gump.’”
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “If you think you have got it bad look around someone probably has it worse so keep a positive attitude.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “Shoot an elk with my bow and arrow.”
Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: “The Beatles, Grateful Dead, and Kings of Leon.”
Q: What former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Hall County?
A: “The Monkey Barrel. It was a popular place when I moved here. Chris Jones (the owner) was a good friend of mine. He is one of the first people I met here and we would always hang out there.”
Q: Choosing anyone and a non-relative: with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? Where in Hall County would you have lunch?
A: “Fred Bear, he is the father of Bow Hunting. He always had very inspirational quotes about being in the woods and being spiritual.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about Hall County?
A: “The people. It’s a big enough town so you get the amenities, but at the same time it’s small enough so you know everyone. There is always someone to turn to and lean on very quickly that will always help you.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
A: “Probably still in this chair with a few more pounds and a little more gray in my beard.”
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “That I grew up in Rome, Georgia.”
Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: “Family, Love and Security.”
The Faces of Hall County is a project to showcase the amazing people that live in our community. If you would like to nominate an interesting person to be featured please email babernathy@gonorton.com.