Nurse Kellye from
‘M*A*S*H’ became
an artist

Answer: After her 11-year stint as Nurse Kellye on the hit TV series, the Kalani High School graduate made appearances in films ("Dr. Dolittle"), TV shows ("NYPD Blue") and TV commercials (IBM).

Kellye Nakahara Wallett also became a Pasadena, Calif., arts commissioner and an established watercolor artist noted for her bold use of colors in landscapes.

"I never knew I was an artist. I just knew I loved to paint," she said.

She is involved with the East West Players theater group, the Town Singers vocal group and the Pasadena Cherry Blossom Festival, and travels throughout the United States, Asia and Europe.

Every year, Nakahara Wallett visits Alabama to donate her time and paintings to benefit children of the Ronald McDonald House.

For 15 years she has traveled with the Sunshine Kids, a group dedicated to boosting the morale of children with cancer. Two years ago she brought a group of children to Oahu to snorkel and surf for a week.

Last summer, she and her husband, David Wallett, returned to Hawaii with their eldest grandson, Max.

"We love Hawaii. We wish we could visit more often," she said. "Currently we are looking for a vacation home there."

Her mother and siblings still live in Hawaii.

"My career gave me a chance to be an important role model for others," Nakahara Wallett said. "I would receive letters from fans saying I represented Hawaii well and was making a statement to the rest of the world that ethnicity doesn't have to be a factor in determining success."