Gwinnett’s oldest locally owned newspaper - established 1988 Covering Buford, Sugar Hill, Dacula, Lawrenceville, Braselton
Vol. 30, No. 1
Teacher of the Year page 3
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Greatest Generation Veteran Jesse Paul Gilleland By Larry Gilleland Citizen Correspondent
Hero Award page 5
NOVEMBER 2017
www.gwinnettcitizen.com
Jesse Paul was born on June 19, 1916, in Grayson, Georgia, into the modest farm family of Elmer Gilleland and Chloe Viola Turner, both originally from Dawson County. Siblings included John Boyd, Vera Belle (Nash), Eva Estelle (Hewatt), Loyce Lucille (Rawlins) and Jewell Ophelia (Cannon) and James Elmer. All remained in the Snellville area, except Boyd who would eventually relocate to Virginia. The family had been living in the Grayson area for several years and, in September 1935, Elmer paid Otis L. Gunter $370 for 37 acres of land in Snellville bordered by Springdale and Greenvalley Roads. Timber was cut from the property and taken to a sawmill for constructing of the house.
Subsistence farming was quite common in this area, and all family members were needed for cultivation and harvests. Like many young men of that era, and rural location, Paul lived with his parents and worked on the family farm. However, life wasn’t very exciting on the farm so, in February 1938, Paul chose to seek a more interesting life by joining the U. S. Navy. After three months of training in Norfolk, Virginia, he was assigned to the USS Boise, a Light Cruiser, to go on a shakedown cruise (a nautical term in which the performance of a ship is tested before it enters service or after major changes) to Monrovia, Liberia and Cape Town, South Africa. Until November 1941, she operated alternately off the U. S. west coast and in Hawaiian waters.
See VETERANS on page 16
Special Photo
Jesse Paul Gilleland, WWII POW Survivor. In 2001, the Gwinnett section of Hwy 78 was dedicated Paul Gilleland Hwy. The signs are posted on the right-of-way along Hwy 78.
A Bigger Vision
A Heart for Nursing: Great Days of Service page 4
Special Photo
GGC unveils wall page 19
INSIDE Gwinnett Pulse 2 Health & Wellness 12 Weddings 17
PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LILBURN,GA PERMIT NO. 99 ECR-WSS POSTAL CUSTOMER
Author and Nurse, Katie Hart Smith’s sequel to Aspirations of the Heart, Hope Never Rests will be released on November 18th.
Family calling for Katie Hart Smith and a new release for the Sacred Heart Series
riosity to a new level in her Sacred Heart Series. When Katie learned the story of Orvada Killion Isensee, her grandmother, Katie had an instant hero. With great personal sacrifice, Orvada made a deliberate change of course in her life. Orvada’s path of least resistance was to marry, have children, and work on By Tiffany Brix her family’s farm. Instead, Orvada Citizen Correspondent followed her heart and went to nursing school, shouldering the conseWe all have times in our lives quence of her father disowning her. when we wonder about our ancesKatie went on to follow in her tors. We see a photograph of some- grandmother’s footsteps and anone farther down the base of our swered the same call to nursing— family tree and wonder, “What was thankfully without such heavy fallout. their life like?” Katie Hart Smith, our Years later, Orvada also became very own local author, takes this cuSee HEART on page 8
Special Photo
Top row from (L-R) - Patricia Peters, Ashley Priester, Epiphany Updegrove, Sandra and Clyde Strickland. Bottom row from (L-R) - Edrick Buthelezi, K’Quane Henry, Octavia Holmes, Natachia Manning, Sandra O’Gilvie
By Tiffany Brix Citizen Correspondent You’ve heard the statistics—on average high school graduates can make about $300,000 more over their career than those without a diploma. That’s the difference between sending kids to college, owning a home, paying off a car, retiring and not having to work, or countless other life-changing possibilities. By taking the step and getting a high school diploma, one person can change their trajectory and affect dozens of people within their circle of influence.
Just here in Gwinnett, there are about 70,000 adults who have not graduated high school. The reason for their disrupted course is inconsequential—it is best to remove as many obstacles as possible for every person who wants to complete their GED. One of the most significant hurdles is not aptitude but schedule flexibility. Many adults who have the desire to get their GED just cannot consistently conform to the schedule needed for completion. Now, there is an option for ev-
See VISION on page10