Delmer Thomas Green

Delmer Thomas Green

From WILDWOOD: “God sends us gifts down the flow of time, but the greatest gift is time itself. Remember to give thanks.”

The greatest gift I ever had come from God; I called him Dad.

April 3, 2010, my dad, Delmer Thomas Green, died today. My mom and me beside him, the sun coming through the window onto his pillow, his favorite music in the background, he died in our home on Penny Road in Thomasville exactly where he wanted to be. We wanted him forever in our lives – there would never have been a good time to let him go so God made the decision for us.

On February 17th while there was still some lingering hope, we had celebrated his 73rd birthday with the great staff at the Cancer Center of High Point Regional Health System. There were many things I loved about him but I think that the thing that was his greatest gift to me was his love. It was as simple as that. He never ceased telling me that I was the daughter he had always wanted. He was happy with me and my mom, his family. He simply wanted to be with us and he gave us the gift of his love and laughter.

Dad was the only child of Joseph Lewis Green and Gladys Lambeth Green now deceased.

He grew up in the Silver Valley community. Born in 1937, he came of age in the 50’s, and the era suited him well. He graduated from Davis-Townsend School in 1955, Ashmore Business College, and attended Elon College. He worked in accounting, and for several years in the late eighties and early nineties, together we ran the Towne Flower Shop. He was last employed with Herron House Flowers and the Thomasville Emporium. He retired several times, but it just never seemed to last. He loved the interaction with people too much and enjoyed talking and would talk for hours on end to anybody, face to face or on the phone. For him the worst part of his illness was voice loss which created a kind of isolation, being unable to speak except very softly and for short time periods.

He is survived by family and friends who loved him for the special person he will forever be; me, his child, Camille Dell Green; my mom – his wife of more than 46 years, Loretta Freeman Green; a special canine, Annie; two sisters-in-law, Norine Stanley of Thomasville and Erva Smith of Winder, GA; two aunts, Dee Myers and Arlene Stokes; an uncle, Arthur Harris, all of Silver Valley Community of Lexington; nieces and nephews; Gary (Candy) Smith, Marsha (Joe) Morris, Randy Coggins, Jamie Coggins, and Eddie (Maureen) Coggins, and a number of great nieces and nephews as well as cousins.

Music was a big part of Dad’s life. He enjoyed playing th piano and over his lifetime he had been organist or pianist at several different churches including Our Lady of the Highways Catholic Church where he was a member.

He loved all things southern and particularly the history of the Civil War (or as we prefer “The War of Northern Aggression”) and all things related to Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone With the Wind”. My dad loved pretty things, seeing flowers, growing flowers, phone calls, jewelry, music, reading, crossword puzzles, grilling chicken, going to the beach with our pets, driving in my car with the top down to the lake at sunset, and sitting on our patio. He enjoyed life, and the sound I’ll miss most is hearing him laugh. He said that God put everything here on earth for our enjoyment and we enjoyed many of those things together.

Our request is that any memorials in honor of Dad be made to Hospice of the Piedmont, who embraced all of us, teaching us how to care for him and giving us the support we needed physically and emotionally. And two special people who gave to Dad compassionate and tender care and who gave to Mom the encouragement and information she needed to deal with each day’s crisis; Betsy Anderson and Janet Sendykar. It was because of their help that he was able to be where he wanted to be – at home with me, mom and Annie. Also, there are three men we profoundly respect and appreciate; Dr. Mark Doner, Dr. Bernard Chinnasami and Dr. Bart Frizzell who helped us understand the extent of Dad’s illness, even when they could not offer even a modicum of hope.

A funeral service remembering the life of Delmer Green will be held Wednesday afternoon, 2:00 P.M. April 7, 2010 in the Chapel of Thomasville Funeral Home, 18 Randolph Street, Thomasville, NC. Prior to his funeral service there will be a visitation from 12:00 – 2:00 PM at the facility. The graveside service will be at Holly Hill Cemetery, Thomasville, NC.

Online condolences may be made through www.thomasvillefh.com.