Faithful Devotion by Lisa Lillian Manfrede-Smith

About the book

Faithful Devotion is the true story of one man's life struggle to be heard in the geopolitical arena of Washington, D.C., which spawned him.

As a young lad, Alvin Louis (Pete) Smith, Jr. growing up in Washington, D.C., had one main interest; to go to war to fight for our country. At age fifteen, he joined the Maryland State Guard, walking distance from his home, and became a trained rifleman. The week he turned seventeen, December 1944, he joined the Navy, and was trained as a Bombardier. When the war was over, he was discharged, then re-enlisted in the Army, and went to officer candidate school. The caption under his graduation picture in his school album said that he looks forward to the day he commands unit in Uncle Sam's Army.

He not only commanded an Army unit of 1400 Korean guerillas, but his military career took him to Port Said, Egypt, as vice counsel, to Bangkok Thailand, as an undercover spy, to Vietnam, as a Green Beret, who gets arrested, and put in solitary confinement for twenty-eight days, for the murder of double agent. The case involved seven other Green Berets, and was known as, The Green Beret Murder Case. (1969)

After President Nixon had the charges dropped, and when Pete returned to America, he continued more fervently, his quest to warn the Government of the existence of communist infiltration in America. He always offered a plan or solution to combat communism, as well.

The first ten to fifteen years of our marriage were spent with Pete writing, faithfully, to various people in high places in Government, or in high places of influence. With each writing work finished, we'd drive up from Florida, where we lived, to Washington, D.C., to meet with the person for whom the material was written.

Although, at one time, we had a literary agent in New York interested in Pete's story, and another time, a film agent in Hollywood, California who set us up with two young screenplay writers, none of Pete's work was ever published, or produced on film. Furthermore, selling it for mere profit, was never his sole intention.

The story takes the reader through the trials and tribulations of a May/December relationship. It takes the reader through a trip to Europe and Africa, as well as through two divorces. It depicts Pete's final battle with cancer, and me by his bedside, telling him he is my hero.

About the author

Born Lisa Lillian Manfrede, in Long Island, New York. Lisa grew up in Orlando, Florida in the 1970's when Walt Disney World was just getting off the ground.

Since her first experiences writing English assignments in high school, Lisa knew she wanted to be a writer. She worked on high school and college publications. While studying Journalism and Creative Writing in college, Lisa's first job was working for a writer. As fate would have it, she married the writer, Alvin Louis (Pete) Smith, Jr.

Lisa has written several articles, short stories, poetry and a novel, however, her husband's writing and his personal quest was her main focus during her married life.

Throughout their relationship, Peter and Lisa traveled the United States, parts of Europe and a bit of Africa.

In the early 1990's, at her husbands' suggestion, Lisa Smith began working in Winter Park, Florida, selling real estate, where she and Peter lived.

Since Lisa has always loved the beach, when her husband retired as a State Investigator, in 1993 they moved to Florida's East Coast, at Satellite Beach. She continued working in real estate, until her husband became ill with cancer in 1997.

She moved down to Naples, Florida with him, because his son lived there, and had recommended a reputable oncologist for Pete to see. She lived there with him, until his death March 26, 1998. Her experience in helping through his illness, and being by his side at the moment of his death, enlightened Lisa to return to school and become a Respiratory Therapist.

On May 19, 2001 she graduated with an Associate of Science Degree in Respiratory Care. She enjoyed her work so much, that she furthered her education, to become a Registered Respiratory Therapist on March 27, 2002.

March 26, of this year, Lisa resigned her full-time respiratory position, and is enjoying having more time for writing, as well as spending more time with her four male companions. Three are dogs who think they are part human, as they are her only "children." One is human, who is not out of the puppy stage yet.

She lives in Merritt Island, Florida.