Jerry "Jay" Owens:
CLASS OF 1984
Battle Creek Central High SchoolClass of 1984
Battle creek, MI
Jerry "Jay"'s Story
Right after graduation, I moved back to CA...thinking I was going to take the Silicon Valley by storm with ALL my vast computer knowledge! lol
When I arrived, I discovered just how small of a fish I really was and just how deep of an ocean I had jumped into.
I sent for my then girlfriend Renae Warren and the two of us stayed with family briefly while looking for work. Being 18yo and knowing everything there was to know about anything, I rejected some, all of the good advise that those with a few more years experience offered, and did not go to college.
Within about 6 mos I came to the realization that I was in DEEP WATER and even deeper trouble if I didn't make some immediate changes, post haste. So, after staying at her sister for a bit and seeing the lifestyle that the military offered them, I joined the Air Force.
I figured I could get the education and hands-on experience that I needed to get my life going on the right track. For Technical School I was sent to Biloxi, MS and 5 WHOLE WEEKS later I was a Computer Operator... 5 WHOLE WEEKS!
After joining, Renae and I were married and not long after we had my son, Joshua. Unlike most men who join the military and are sent off to foreign lands, I was stationed about 10 min. from my mothers apartment at Sunnyvale AS, in Sunnyvale, CA.
Renae, Joshua and I spent about 1 - 1.5 years there before being assigned to Iraklion, AFB Crete Greece! I had planned on spending the rest of my career on that Island, since I loved the culture and the people. I also learned to speak a little Greek while I was there.
We spent about 2 years there of what was supposed to be a 3 year tour. Due to the Graham Rudman Hollings Act, I had a choice to re-enlist 6 mos early or be released from my contract 6 mos early and opted to get out at the encouragement of my wife.
Unfortunately, upon arriving back to the U.S. I discovered that my Mrs. no longer wanted my last name or to move back to CA where I was now residing. After doing everything I could think of for about 3 years, I finally got it through my thick head that the family that I was so proud of was gone. Now it was just a matter of picking up the pieces of my and my son's broken heart and soldiering on.
I began to work at various companies during that period...i.e. Lockheed, Kellogs, etc. staying with family and trying to give my son some sort of normal family life. I moved back to MI hoping to patch things up, or at least be close to my son. Move...Expand for more
d back to CA...etc. I eventually figured out that I couldn't keep moving and settled on CA. Since there was no paperwork to decided custody my poor son kept getting flown back and forth a few times until I decided enough.
I fought for custody and due to some agressive negotiating tactics, I was able to get FULL physical and legal custody of my son. We were living in Milpitas, CA at the time. Life kind of began to settle a bit and as I struggled to put some consistency back into our lives, I met Milly.
She was a friend that I met on a Sunday Night Adult Skate, where I went every Sunday night to meet and talk with other adults and get a little exercise. She was struggle in her marriage and I began to counsel her to try and make it work. Advise that I had wished that someone would have given my soon to be ex. It wasn't until after she had tried just about everything; that I realizedI owed this guy nothing and if he was dumb enough to let her go, I was going to be smart enough to snatch her up.
We dated for about 2 years before marrying. It wasn't until I met Milly, that my life began to show massive improvement. She had and has the strength to be honest with me, regardless of the immediate pain it may cause, as long as the long-term benefit is worth it.
We married Feb. 14th 1992, in Battle Creek, MI. She had recently been divorced and has 2 children of her own, Andy and Carly. Together we tried to pull it all together, which was no easy task. There were many things that needed work within us to make the relationship work.
Despite getting off to a rocky start due to our passion to be right and to win, we both had to learn how to discuss rather than fight and we took the "D" word out of our vocabulary.
We used to use that word as a weapon on each other, cutting each other to shreds in the process...not to mention the kids! Not conducive to marital bliss.
We have now been married 17 years but have known each other for over 19 years. I can honestly say that she is my best friend!
We are currently living in GA but are hoping to move to NY with the next 1 - 1.5 years. She has family there and 2 of the 3 kids will be there as well. Andy is pursuing a singing career, Joshua will have completed his time in the military and will be going to college and Carly who lives near her dad in CA is on her way to becoming a hot shot lawyer!
(The way she used to argue with me when she was younger, I am sure she will win most of her cases! lol)
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