Husband: Kevin Buchanan
Stepson: Duke Buchanan
Mother: Melinda Cramer
Siblings: Paul Cramer (half-brother)
Niece: Megan Gordon (by marriage; deceased)
Aunt: Dorian Lord, Addie Cramer
Cousin: Cassie Carpenter, Blair Cramer
Mother-in-law: Viki Davidson
Father-in-law: Joe Riley (biological), Clint Buchanan (adoptive)
Brother-in-law: Joey Buchanan
Sister-in-law: Jessica Buchanan, Natalie Buchanan, Megan Gordon (deceased), Babe Carey Chandler (unknown to Kelly)
Significant Romantic Relationships: Joey Buchanan (1st husband/divorced), Drew Buchanan, Ian Armitage, Max Holden, Kevin Buchanan (2nd husband)

Kelly Cramer is the daughter of Melinda Cramer, who spent most of her adult life in and out of mental institutions. To that effect, Kelly grew up in boarding schools. Rebellious by nature, Kelly was kicked out of her elite European school as a teenager and was sent to live with her Aunt Dorian in Llanview.

Kelly met Joey Buchanan and despite initial animosity between the two, an attraction was born. However, a naïve Kelly soon become a pawn in a revenge scheme by David Vickers, who sought revenge against his wife Dorian. David set out to seduce Kelly, and nearly succeeded but Dorian caught them. Despite a close relationship with Joey, Kelly believed that she was in love with David and vice versa. When she learned David's attempted seduction was just a means to get back at Dorian, a hurt Kelly wanted to start a relationship with Joey.

Despite their closeness, Kelly was devastated when she caught Joey in bed with Dorian. Furious, she teamed up with David to try to make Joey jealous. However, Kelly soon realized that David's intentions towards working with Kelly were more devious-he wanted to kidnap her and hold her for ransom! In a panic she hit David over the head and believed that she killed him. She went to Joey and told him what happened. Joey attempted to help Kelly cover the crime, but soon a very much alive David showed up and kidnapped Kelly for real! Joey rescued her and soon the two were in love.

After familial animosities began to plague their relationship, the two young lovers decided to study abroad in Paris. Joey left, but Kelly decided to stay in Llanview while her cousin Blair's daughter Starr was suffering from aplastic anemia. Dorian and Drew Buchanan (who was interested in Kelly) saw the couples' long distance as the perfect opportunity to split the two up. Thanks to Drew and Dorian, miscommunications and lost messages were frequent, and Joey eventually broke up with Kelly.

A distraught Kelly ended up in a car accident with Blair and Patrick Thornhart. Shocked at having hit her cousin, Kelly called the police and fled the scene. As a result of the accident Blair miscarried her child. Kelly confessed her guilt to Drew, who helped her to cover her role in the accident. Kelly and Drew grew closer and began dating. Eventually guilt got the better of Kelly and she confessed her role in the accident to Blair, who vowed never to forgive her. Kelly also learned of Drew and Dorian's role in her breakup with Joey. Disgusted, she broke up with Drew.

Kelly met wealthy Ian Armitage and the two grew close. However, Blair wanted Ian for his money and clashed with her cousin over Ian. After some initial hesitations, Kelly began to date Ian. However, Joey soon returned from Paris. All her old feelings towards Joey complicated things, but Kelly remained committed to Ian, whom she planned to marry. Soon after Ian was killed in a plane crash. His will left a large sum to Kelly, but Blair intercepted this information and impersonated Kelly in an attempt to get the money. Her conscience got the best of her, and Blair ended her scheme. The two cousins soon reconciled and Kelly became a wealthy woman.

Despite a kiss with Joey, Kelly was not ready to get romantically involved with him again. Drew returned to town and managed to convince Kelly that he was truly remorseful for his previous deceptions. When Drew was a suspect in the murder of Georgie Phillips, Kelly stood by him and the two became a couple again. Drew was cleared and planned to marry Kelly, but was killed by a bullet meant for Kevin Buchanan.

Fighting her feelings for Joey, Kelly allowed herself to be the target of money hungry Max Holden. Falling for Max's charm, the two became engaged but Kelly's love for Joey was too strong---she broke up with Max and reunited with Joey.

Joey and Kelly got engaged, but their relationship encountered trouble when Kelly found herself drawn to his brother Kevin. The two grew close and almost made love. In an effort to fight her true feelings and show her commitment to Joey, the two eloped! Still, Kelly was drawn to Kevin and despite an attempt to have a baby to save her marriage, Kelly soon blurted that she loved Kevin. The two decided to end their marriage, but Joey did everything in his power to stall the divorce. Kevin and Kelly began seeing each other.

Kelly saw the hit man who had attempted to kill Ben Davidson and was forced to go into hiding for fear of her life. Kevin and Joey worked together to protect Kelly, and Joey finally realized that Kevin and Kelly were in love. Joey signed the divorce papers, and Kelly was free to marry Kevin. The two moved to Texas and eventually wed.

While in Texas, Kevin's political aspirations led to distance between the couple. Kelly had an affair which caused problems with Kevin. Kevin returned to Llanview and Kelly followed a few months later, unhappy that Kevin had gotten close with her cousin Blair in the interim. Kelly is struggling to hold her marriage together despite the continued distance with Kevin, and hopes that her recent pregnancy announcement can bridge the gap between them.