Women gather to hear Kelley Paul speak on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015, at the Hilton Garden Inn about her book, True and Constant Friends, which will be released in April. (Austin Anthony/Daily News)

RUSSELLVILLE — Kelley Paul, formerly Kelley Ashby, told a group of women in Russellville about carrying her grandmother’s purse to a White House Christmas party 15 years after her grandmother died. 

The wife of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., she recalled seeing the bag glittering in the lights and knowing her grandmother, Julia O’Toole, was smiling. O’Toole had given Paul the bag as a gift.

“After all, she had an abiding faith in the possibilities of this country,” she said. “Her optimism, her belief that with hard work, faith, perseverance and a great attitude anything can happen, those are quintessential American beliefs, and they are the legacy of Julia O’Toole, my Irish blessing.”

Kelley Paul was back in her hometown Tuesday morning speaking with the Logan County Republican Women’s Club about her new book, “True and Constant Friends,” which will be published in April.

She spoke mostly about her grandmother, who immigrated to the United States from Ireland in 1929. Paul called her grandmother the “centerpiece” of the book.

She spoke about how her grandmother left poverty in Ireland to come to New York, where she served as a live-in maid for some of the city’s elite families.

Kelley Paul spoke about her grandmother going to The Salvation Army one year to get donated coats for her children when the family was going through a tough economic time.

She said it hurt her grandmother’s pride to take charity, but the next year on Thanksgiving she got her children up early and took them out to ring the bell for the group.

“That was the pride of my grandmother and the work ethic of her entire generation,” Kelley Paul said. “You could not hold your head high without hard work.”

She told the group she believes in the power of friendship.

“The book is about the power of friendship and its sustaining force in our lives,” Kelley Paul said.

She also spoke in Bowling Green on Tuesday afternoon and will speak about her book throughout the state this week. 

Bobbie Jean Burnett, membership chairwoman for the Logan County Republican Women’s Club, said she’s proud to have Kelley Paul’s husband as her state senator and is looking forward to her new book.

“I think it is an opportunity for us to see that even small towns can produce wonderful, famous people,” she said.

Alison Baker of Russellville went to school with Kelley Paul and said it’s an honor for Russellville to have someone from the town do so well in the public eye.

She said she’s not surprised to see Kelley Paul be successful. In high school, she was a cheerleader and had a bubbly personality.

“You can see it and everyone can see it,” Baker said. “Her smile lights up the room.”

Nora Lacayo, president of the Logan County Republican Women’s Club, said Kelley Paul has been part of events for the club in the past.

Lacayo said she’s proud to be a part of a group of women who are interested in being involved in politics and charity, and said that women play an important role in United States politics.

“I’m like the leader of a lot of ladies that want to do something,” she said.

— Follow government beat writer Katie Brandenburg on Twitter at twitter.com/BGDNgovtbeat