Call it ‘fate’ or whatever you want, Singaporean couple Gary Chee and Jolene Chan had to travel halfway around the globe to find love. Gary and Jolene first met as University of Oklahoma (OU) students in Norman, Oklahoma, in mid 1990s. The then strangers both chose to pursue their degrees at OU and had traveled, separately, to the US for their studies.

In 1996, Gary graduated with BSc EE and Jolene with BA Sociology. The couple is now happily married and living in Singapore. They have three boys: Nathan, Gabriel and Dylan.

Proud Parents

Presently, Gary had just moved to a new business development job with a local company with a focus on customers in Singapore. After spending almost 10 years in professional roles that required him to travel frequently, he just wanted to spend more time with his family. Prior to his current job, he spent more than two years in a home-based position, which he enjoyed tremendously as he got to spend much quality time with Nathan during his formative years.

“Getting the opportunity to see my sons used to be tough with my previous job. I used to spend about 50 percent of my time traveling to China and Taiwan as my customers were all there. Taoyuan City, Taiwan was like my second home,” Gary sighed.

“Fortunately, I have been working from home in the last two and a half years as APAC sales director of an Irish firm, which did not have an office setup in Singapore. This really helped enhance the bond between me and my sons, especially with Nathan who is now almost four.”

As for Jolene, she embarked on a career in the research arena since graduation. She is currently a market researcher with a German Flavor and Fragrance Company, managing the company’s market research in the region.

“One of the biggest changes in our lives since leaving OU had been the addition of our three sons. They gave us immense joy and happiness. We have come to realize that having more children doesn’t mean dividing the love you have, but rather you get to multiple the love with the addition of each child,” said a beaming Jolene.

The challenge for Gary now is to get accustomed to an office-based job once again. The couple is considering for Jolene to be a full time homemaker soon so that she would get the full benefits of watching Gabriel and Dylan grow up as Gary had with Nathan.

Earthquake Experience

In 1999, Gary had the experience of his life. He was in Taiwan when an earthquake hit. He survived, but instead of returning home after that, he stayed on to for another two weeks to witness the aftermath.

Since then, Gary has become somewhat philosophical in his view on life.

“In my last 10 years of work life, what impacted me most was my visit to various countries in Asia. I have encountered many different cultures and seen many very interesting human behaviors. The exposure has made me cherish the peace and prosperity we have in Singapore very much.”

However, Gary has not forgotten his ‘second home’. He said, “I love Taoyuan. I’m very familiar with the city. I’ve driven and rode a scooter there. For people who have been there, they will probably know that food there is great. It has a wide variety of exquisite Chinese food!”

Gary added that he has made many Taiwanese friends through the years, and he would always admire their fast wit and entrepreneur spirit.

Finally, there is one place that would always have a special place in Gary’s heart.

“For me, Norman is a memorable place because it is where I met my wife. Without having been there and being part of the Singapore student population, I would have never met her. Well I guess that is what they mean when they say ‘You’ll find love in the most unexpected places’,” Gary said with a smile.

If you wish to contact Gary and Jolene, they can be reached at the following email addresses:

Gary Chee Kim Wui - cheegary@yahoo.com

 

Gary, Jolene & the boys...