FORNEY, Texas — In an unanimous vote on Tuesday night, the Forney City Council approved naming a new street, which will be constructed adjacent to the new fire station, in honor of long-time Forney resident Glenn “Red” Whaley.
FORNEY, Texas — In an unanimous vote on Tuesday night, the Forney City Council approved naming a new street, which will be constructed adjacent to the new fire station, in honor of long-time Forney resident Glenn “Red” Whaley.
Whaley died at the age of 82 on December 14, 2013, after battling a lengthy illness. Whaley, a Korean War veteran, established Forney's first antique store in 1968 and helped put Forney on the map as the “Antique Capital of Texas.”
The street naming will occur in conjunction with the completion of the fire station, Fire Station No. 2, expected in mid-2016.
The council had previously discussed the naming of the street in August and later sought input from the public on the possibility of naming the street after Whaley. In a presentation on Tuesday night, City of Forney Public Information Officer Kyle Rouvaldt said several residents responded and were overwhelmingly in favor of the recognition.
Whaley Drive was also approved through Kaufman County’s 911 addressing coordinator prior to its presentation to the council for approval.
Whaley was born October 20, 1931, in Dallas, Texas, and grew up in Irving, Texas, where he became an Eagle Scout and a volunteer fireman. He served in the Korean War as a military police officer and returned from the war to become a full-time firefighter for the Irving Fire Department. According to his obituary, he also served as one of the Irving Fire Department's first battalion chiefs.
Upon moving to Forney and continuing the antique business, Whaley ventured into real estate development in Kaufman County but his love and passion for the fire service never left him.
Around 2003, Whaley donated a substantial sum of money to complete the construction of the District 6 Forney Fire Department Substation on Windy Lane in Forney, Texas, where a plaque remains today honoring his contributions.
The plaque reads: “The Forney Volunteer Fire Department dedicates this complex in honor of Glen “Red” Whaley and family, whose financial contributions and faithful support of the fire services made this building possible. -2003”
