Ilene Brown says, I am a retired teacher, not an author. You can probably tell when you read my book. The only World War II war widow that she knows of in the East Texas area, Ilene felt compelled to write of her life, beginning as a young war bride and continuing through 66 years of marriage. Her story is one of both heartache and joy. She especially wants to emphasize the blessing of freedom that Americans enjoy each day. She says, We owe our freedom first to God and then to our brave World War II heroes who endured so much to save us. Many never returned. Their bodies lie in graves all over the world. Ilene lives on a farm outside Canton, TX. a United States flag flies everyday in her front yard in memory of Doug and his war buddies.