Linda and Shelley.....
I was so sorry to hear about Garrett's passing.  Not only will I miss seeing the best smile anywhere, but I will miss greeting you at the door of Parc Provence as well.  I so wanted to visit with you earlier tonight, but sadly I couldn't make it.  My deepest sympathies to you both and your family.  He was such a great person, as well as a great dancer and I will miss him.  Linda, hopefully I will get to see you sometime in the future, but know that it was a great pleasure knowing you and talking to you.
Ed, your favorite door attendant.

What an amazing life to celebrate!   As an offspring from the “shorter” part of the family I will always remember Uncle Garrett as the “tall Greene.”    His laughter and stories will resonate for many years to come.  I believe the last opportunity I had to visit with him was at one of the reunions Bonnie held.  As I think back, we have lost several family members since that time and now the time has come for Garrett to join them.

I do remember Garrett and Norma were able to visit Mom and Dad here in Florida.  They all had an entertaining time at the Dog Track, one of Uncle Garrett’s favorite things.  

Now, Dad is the remaining torch bearer of the Ed & Donna Greene children.  Even though he suffers some of the same memory issues that challenged Garrett, he does remember him clearly and those memories of his older brother are happy ones.  It is with heavy heart I will inform him today of Uncle Garrett’s passing. 

Bless our entire clan on our loss of the physical Garrett, with the understanding that his legacy lives on.


Photo of Garrett (in back) and  brother Claude in  about 1923,  I would guess. Kind of illustrates lifelong personalities. Garrett with his hair going every which a way and a big ol’ smile, ready to go, and Claude with a more cautious appearance.  Nothing much changed over the next 80 years. 

When  Uncle  Garett came to visit it was like Santa Clause had arrived. He came in on a sleigh of laughter that lasted throughout the visit.  I LOVDED  his llaughter which shook his entire body! I loved the big truck, it's horn and the sound of the air brakes. Walking toward me  I saw a wide toothy grin and outstretched arms.  This was a tremendous statement of his love  for our whole family.  I suppose the thing he taught me was that laughter can fix all problems. Laughter always seemed to change the mood of anything.

My Great Uncle Garrett is an amazing soul. His antics kept the family laughing for hours on end. There are so many wonderful memories, it’s hard to pick! My most memorable one is seeing him do a hand stand and then start walking. He was and always will be a gift to this family as they all are and were. You will be missed greatly on earth; yet I can imagine the reunion going on in Heaven! Love Always! 

I have been blessed to have so many wonderful aunts and uncles that I grew to know through the years at Greene reunions/breakfasts, and the summer visits to the country. A  few funny memories I'd like to share is when I was about 5 yrs.old Uncle Garrett was living in Kentucky which wasn't that far away from our home in Salem, Ind.  My dad wanted to keep in touch with Garrett so after church, and after eating at the Blue Boar (if I recall correctly) we'd visit Uncle Garrett. I was young so Joe may remember it better.  Garrett was with Ruth (second wife?). She had a poodle named Mitch. Uncle Garrett for some reason loved to aggarvate that dog. He'd say "Let's go for a ride, Mitch!" The dog would run like mad to the car.  Garrett opened the car door for the dog ,but little did Mitch know Garrett wasn't going anywhere with him! The dog would sit in the front seat for at least 15 min.'s!   Memories (as other cousins) of Uncle Garrett teaching me to stand on my head at each visit! I must say I am proud of that accomplishment! It was exciting to watch how Uncle Garrett could push his 6' legs up in the air! Claude (dad) was a mini look -alike Garrett. My dad would explain that his front teeth were slow to come in, and Garrett as a concerned brother wanted to help so he crafted two wooden teeth for my dad , and proceeded to push them in their rightful place! Garrett adventure rich stories are plentliful, and  the Greene family has lost a treasure! His laugh will always be in my ears! Everytime I see a poodle, a truck, a horse race, watch Dancing With the Stars( Arthur Murray dance lessons), and  see a little, white country house on the hill in Sneedville with a second floor window (Garrett climbed through late one night) I will recall all the antics of Uncle Garrett! I won't worry anymore about Uncle Garrett! He is having a blast in Heaven with his sisters and brothers. God bless his daughters Margaret and Linda and grandchildren! My sincere sympathies to all the family.  

Linda & Shelley, So sorry for your loss.  You both should find comfort knowing all the happiness you brought to his life.

The only time I ever saw Garrett upset was in 1964 when his Autocar truck wasn’t running good on a trip I took with him. Someone, probably Garrett himself,  had left an O-ring off the fuel filter and the engine wasn’t getting enough fuel.  A mechanic found the problem and in about 5 minutes and $30 later that old truck was purring like a kitten.  Talk about a mood swing; GG was as happy as a clam after that.

He did yell at me one time for blowing his air horn at a truck stop when he was trying to sleep. I was bored sitting in the truck while he was snoozing in the sleeper.  That old air horn chain was dangling down, just begging me to pull it. So I did just that.....Garrett yelled at me pretty good as I think I startled him out of his slumber. I didn’t do THAT again even though I was tempted many times....

Sorry for your loss...may you find comfort in your memories.

Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center

Visitation

Edward Greene

Dona (nee Rhea) Greene

Norma (nee Trent) Jessup

Nancy J. Burke

Mike Burke

Kaitlyn Burke

Scott (Elena) Burke

Mila Burke

Sean Burke

Margaret Guilkey

Shelley (John Patrick) Cade

Lauryn Patrick

Julie (Seth) Johnson

Jamie (Chad) Ayinde

Amie Marie Johnson

Heather (Jeff) Williams

Ethan Williams

Heidi Guilkey

Jeff (Randee) Guilkey

Linda (William) Willert

Larry Douglas Greene

Ruth Johnson

Minnie Hatfield

Hazel Baker

Rector Greene

Alice Stubblefield

Claude Greene

Kyle Greene

Jimmy Greene

Emma Testerman

Kriegshauser Mortuary-West Chapel

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Garrett J. Greene

March 11, 1918 – February 5, 2020

Kriegshauser Mortuary-West Chapel

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