These days, it’s not often that someone hand-picks a mate for their son, but in Greg and Barbara
Whiteley’s case, that’s just what happened. “We met on a blind date in 1981,” recalls Barbara. “I was
introduced by Greg’s late father, Floyd Whiteley, with whom I worked at Sun Pipeline in Longview,
Texas.” Floyd’s matchmaking paid off, as the couple married in 1982. “We have been best friends for 37
years,” explains Barbara.
Greg is a 4th generation Texan. He attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he earned a
Bachelor of Science degree in Oceanography. “I worked on pipelines and machine shops before college,
and got into oil and gas after graduation,” relates Whiteley. Greg is currently working as a Business Unit
Manager and Principal at Cardno PPI LLC, an Oil and Gas Engineering, Project Management and Quality
Assurance organization. Over a 40-year career in the oil and gas industry, Greg has developed 16
mechanical and business patents, ranging from mechanical downhole completion tools to business
method processes.
Barbara is a 3rd generation Texan. She attended Tyler Commercial College in Tyler, Texas. She had
several careers, one as a Legal Secretary, and the other as an Interior Designer, before going to work for
the Cy Fair Independent School District. Cypress Ranch High School graduates will remember Mrs.
Whiteley as the lady in the counseling office that always reminded them to turn in their college
applications, scholarships and letters of recommendation. “I had been working as an Interior Designer
for some time. After 911, it seemed as though people were afraid to spend money on decorating. I
started working for CFISD after our kids were in college. I wanted a consistent paycheck, and my friends,
CFISD employees, encouraged me. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Cy Ranch. It was the job that I
enjoyed the most,” comments Barbara.
The Whiteleys have two adult children: Thomas and Mary Margaret. “It was important to us that we
taught our children to always keep God first in their lives, and to love one another,” shares Barbara.
Thomas graduated from Texas State University, with a degree in Construction Science. He is a project
engineer with a large construction company in the Dallas area. Thomas is married to Whitney, a nurse
practitioner with Baylor Hospital in Dallas. Growing up in the family household, Thomas remembers his
parents’ advice well: “Work hard, treat other with respect and trust in God’s plan. Success will follow.”
Mary Margaret is a graduate of Galveston College, and holds a degree in nursing. She is currently a
Clinical Liaison for The Buckingham, a senior living community in Houston. “We were taught to always
be kind to everyone,” recalls Mary Margaret. As Greg and Barbara have no grandkids, their 12-year-old
Chihuahua, Lola, gets plenty of attention.
“Retirement gives me a chance to spend time with our elderly parents, volunteer and travel,” explains
Barbara. Cyndy Gusler, Executive Director of From the Vine Ministries, discusses Barbara’s role as Family
Crisis Director: “Barbara is a fantastic asset to our Vineyard leadership team! She is fully committed to
helping women and is comfortable being transparent to discuss her own family’s experience with death,
Alzheimer’s and various issues of grief. A cup of coffee, a lot of wisdom, and no judgement is always the
perfect mentoring session with Barbara.” An active 11-year member of a 12-step program, Barbara
gives support to family and friends of alcoholics and addicts. She is involved in several local Bible study
groups and loves decorating her home, antiquing, gardening and Southern cooking.
“Greg loves to hunt and fish at his deer leases in North East Texas; he saves most of his vacation days for
hunting. We are Foodies and try different restaurants around the city. We do travel together in the
continental USA and Mexico. I love to travel overseas; Greg, not so much,” confides Barbara, “and we’re
both ok with that!” Greg concurs. “I did enough overseas travel to China for my work. I don’t want to do
it anymore.”
A recent milestone birthday resulted in the gift of a lifetime for Barbara. “For my 60th birthday, Greg
gifted me with a trip through a Christian travel agency to The Holy Land and Jordan. For 15 days, I
traveled with my friend from Fairfield, Linda Saxby. For 10 days, we visited Tel Aviv, Caesarea, (one of
the many palaces of King Herod), the Sea of Galilee, Masada, the Dead Sea, Qumran, (where the Dead
Sea Scrolls were found), Bethlehem and the Old City of Jerusalem. One of my favorites was the town of
Capernaum, where a Jewish synagogue was unearthed, and Jesus taught and healed there, according to
the books of Luke and Mark. We spent five days traveling throughout Jordan, to Petra, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, situated between the Red Sea and Dead Sea. Petra’s beauty is one of God’s best works, in
my opinion. One of the highlights of the trip was riding a camel in the Wadi Rum Desert and having
lunch at a Bedouin village. My most memorable moment on the trip was when we walked to the shore
of the Sea of Galilee and I immersed my hands in the water.”
