Rena, My Eternal Love

About the Book

Jack and Rena Gilley first met as small children and were ultimately married May-27, 1954, a year after Jack was discharged from the army. The story covers the war & 56+ years of their life together which portrays the love that grows stronger with each passing day. The story covers highlights of the Gilley family (with two children) living abroad for more than ten years where they spent time in Libya and Brazil (Their son was born in Libya in 1959) where Jack worked for TI-GSI. After reassignment to Dallas headquarters in 1967 Jack traveled throughout the world visiting/inspecting their operations before resigning to attend their family business started in 1970. It also covers two tours of duty Jack served in Korea before discharge in 1953. In 1951 while in a military hospital in Japan, a wounded soldier from his brothers unit (The 187th Airborne) in the adjacent bed told him the unit incurred heavy casualties. Jack got an early release to search for his brother (during convalescence leave) who he feared had been killed. It is truly an unbelievable story. It also covers their time in Brazil during the military takeover in the 1960’s and time in Libya during the Mid-East war where the families were evacuated to Malta. The story covers the starting of Gilley Properties Inc., a land development and building business in 1970 that included six land developments. The building business employed their family members and many long term sub-contractors who worked for them 20+ years. A second business Five Star Industries Inc. was started in 1997. The story covers an exciting life of love, world travels & war. Jack retired at the age of 55, but remained active in the family business. He and RENA have been married 56-plus years...

About the Author

He is a mild mannered family man, but one whose life has been filled with exciting events that most people of the world only read or dream about. As the youngest child in a family of 14 children born in 1932, he spent the early years of his life on a farm near Vinita, Oklahoma. The extremely close family ties remained intact throughout the years. He volunteered for the Army on June 11, 1950 at the beginning of the Korean War. He spent two tours of duty in Korea prior to his discharge in 1953. In early 1951while in a hospital in Japan, a wounded soldier from the 187th Airborne was placed in the bed next to him. The soldier, who was in his brother Troy’s Platoon, told him the unit had heavy casualties. Jack got an early release from the hospital and spent his convalescence leave searching Korea to find his brother who he feared had been killed. Luckily he found his brother alive and spent time with him. The events of the search and meeting were almost unbelievable. He spent 25 years working in the oil exploration industry. He and his family spent ten+ years on International assignments before re-assignment to the Dallas headquarters of TI-GSI, his employer. He resigned from TI-GSI in 1976 since Gilley Properties Inc., the family business started in 1970 had grown to the point it required his full attention. It ultimately included six housing developments plus the home building business where he was company president. In 1996, a 2nd family business named Five-Star Industries Inc. was started and rapidly grew to number-2 size in the DFW area behind BFI. Jack retired many years ago at the age of 55, but remained active in life. He and RENA have been married more than 56 years.