Biography of Jack Gates, St Francis County, AR

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Submitted by: Paul V Isbell
        Date: 19 Nov 2008
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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No other business in Forrest City can surpass the record of unselfish public
service rendered year after year by the owners of the Gates Bros. Lumber Co. The
story of this successful lumber firm and of the personal lives of the two Gates
brothers, Meyer and Lem, is as interesting and is typically American as any
related anywhere in this book. It is abundant in joys and despairs of two
brothers of the family who gave his life for his country in World War II. It all
began here years ago when the late Jere Gates has an opportunity to buy the East
Arkansas Builders Supply which he was managing at the time. He and his brothers,
Meyer, then of Memphis, and David, local farmer, started the Gates Bros. Lumber
Co. in 1938. For five years Jere worked hard to make the business a success,
then came World War II, and in 1943, Jere joined the Army, and took an active
part in the famous Battle of the Bulge. As a First Lieutenant, his 3rd Army
heavy artillery battalion was used in the final battle to pinch off the deep
German penetration. He survived this battle, but was killed later near the Czech
border when a hidden mine exploded. The son of Meyer, Jack Gates is the
purchasing agent for the firm today. He married the former Shirley Ann Forbes of
Miami, Fla. They have one son.


SOURCE:
HISTORY of ST. FRANCIS COUNTY, ARKANSAS, 1954 - Robert W. Chowning

Copyright, with Permission: Weston McCollum Lewey, Publisher
-Times Herald Publishing-Forrest City, Arkansas