When the Space Shuttle Discovery returned to Earth and as Atlantis prepares to continue shuttling supplies and crew to finish building the International Space Station, the Starship Enterprise turned 40 this past September. In 1966, Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy and their crewmates warped into our living rooms and opened our minds to endless possibilities, urging us to "boldly go? where no man had gone before ... and we went! Five series, ten movies [with "XI" in development], and 40 years later, the series' and its characters' influence on the social and scientific developments in our society are immeasurable. And although there isn't a Star Trek series currently in production, to paraphrase Dr. McCoy in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan": "They are not really gone as long as we remember them."

In the "Trek Triumvirate," Captain Kirk was the proactive member of the trio, and Mr. Spock was the logical one, but Leonard H. "Bones? McCoy, M.D. was their emotional, human, and humane social conscience. He never let us forget what our priorities should be. Beneath the crusty, cranky, grumbling exterior was a devoted, kind, caring, idealistic healer ... the real McCoy. He led a generation of fellow believers into careers in medicine, social work, and other helping professions. He was a very human, very real role model, despite the curmudgeonly exterior. "Bones? seemed absolutely real because he so clearly reflected the man who portrayed him, DeForest Kelley.

And who was DeForest Kelley? A very private man.

Among the handful of people who came to know the actor and his wife Carolyn up close and personal was Kristine M. Smith, a fan-turned-friend of the Kelleys' and DeForest's personal assistant and caregiver during the last three months of his life. DeForest had been Kristine's mentor and encourager for over 30 years, helping to launch her writing career in 1968 when she was just a teenager, and eventually welcoming her to Hollywood in 1988, where he helped her get a foot in the door as a secretary at motion picture studios, expecting nothing in return from her other than continued friendship with him and his wife. Kris has stepped forward to share her reflections about this special man.

In her book, "DeForest Kelley; A Harvest of Memories: My Life and Times With a Remarkable Gentleman Actor," Kris takes us into the private world of someone who cared deeply about his fans, took his responsibility as "Dr. McCoy" very seriously, yet would not write his own autobiography, as the rest of the cast had done. A truly humble soul. Kelley trusted Kris to see that he was remembered as he really was, not as an icon. She has kept faith with that trust.

In a recent interview celebrating Star Trek's 40th Anniversary [1996-2006], Kris shared the following reflections:

Billie Rae Walker: When you were a teenager, what drew you more to "Bones" than Captain Kirk or Mr. Spock?

Kristine M. Smith: At first, of course, I was quite enamored with all three of the main stars. What was there not to like about any of them? But as time went on, and I watched the series and their characters develop, and also as I listened to or read interviews with all three of them, I just found that I resonated more to DeForest Kelley and to his Dr. McCoy and also to Leonard Nimoy as Spock, but for different reasons entirely. In a way, I "needed" — even used — Spock as a teenager. I lived in a household with a verbally abusive, out-of-control, heavily-drinking father and needed to develop Spock's self-control and his greater sense of "logical" thinking so I wouldn't be such a "reactionary" to Dad's out-of-control behavior and verbal assaults. I had to think/reason my way out of hurricane-gale proportioned emotional situations — not let them eat me up inside.

So Spock captured me in that way; I lost my ulcer by adopting Spock's method of handling other people's emotional reactions. I learned how to look at life with more objectivity rather than subjectively, a glorious gift under those circumstances! I realized other people's emotions weren't about me; they were about what was going on inside of them!

I think the reason it finally came down to DeForest over the long haul — all these years — is that , after I met both De and Leonard, I realized that De was fundamentally much more similar to me than Leonard was — and "birds of a feather," as they say. He just felt like kinfolk, to use a charming Southern phrase. He was approachable, appreciative, completely down to earth, and lots of fun. He considered his success to be simply gracious, good fortune and blessing, not something "owed" to him or necessarily even "earned" by him, so he genuinely and quite graciously thanked his fans every time he went anywhere to appear. He meant it!

As it turned out, when we finally met in a substantial way during the 1980s and started to spend more time together — De, Carolyn and me — I guess the Kelleys came to feel pretty much the same way I did, somehow kindred and familiar. We became very comfortable with each other. They even forgot that I had come to them as a fan! De was a peaceful, gentle soul with a lovely heart and a great sense of balance and equanimity. He wasn't the general notion of a "TV star" — to be with him was never "all about him." He was genuinely interested and appreciative of his fans and friends and of their lives and experiences.

BRW: When you finally met DeForest Kelley and his wife Carolyn, what were the strongest impressions that you came away with?

Kris: Their goodness. I don't know any better, more succinct way to say this. They were the happiest married couple I ever saw. De was secure in his love for Carolyn. There was rock-solid devotion there. Every woman I know finds that enormously attractive in men. I certainly do. To see them hand-in-hand, or Carolyn with her hand on his leg every time they were sitting together in public — it just confirmed for me that what I intuitively felt about De as a human being was rock-solid. His integrity, his devotion, his genuine love — not only for Carolyn, but for his pets, for his fans, for his friends, for his roses! This was a man who appreciated God's creation! He took the time to be in the here and now and to appreciate life's pleasures, and even its rockiness, its trials and tribulations, its thorns. How rare is that in today's world?

Page 2: Early roles