Winnifred Winnie H. Green

Winnie Green was born March 5, 1915 in Crosby, Wyoming to Elmer and Bess Hennebry and went home to be with her Lord on December 10th at the age of 95. She grew up with her five siblings in mining towns in Wyoming and Montana. She won the Montana state singles championship in tennis in high school and later graduated from the Montana Normal College. Winnie was a school teacher in several one room schools in Montana before her marriage to Roy Kemp in 1936. Ray was a baker and a business man and together they owned bakeries in Roundup, Montana, Deer Park, Washington, a corner grocery store in Portland, Oregon and a motel in Long Beach, Washington. During WWII Winnie was a messenger along the Columbia Gorge for Western Union delivering bereavement telegrams to military families.

In 1959 Winnie married Gilbert Green and moved to Seattle where she spent the remainder of her life living and raising their family in the Montlake neighborhood. For 23 years she was the Director of the Mount Zion Baptist Church Kindergarten and Preschool and was active locally and nationally in early childhood learning organizations. Into her 80’s she helped several area preschools and child care centers with their organization and finances. Winnie was committed to quality early education for all children and loved to be around little kids.

Winnie was an avid Mariner fan, attending many games each year up into her 90’s. She and Gil were active in their church and loved to travel. Travelling with Gil, other family members and friends, she visited Europe, China, Israel, Egypt, India, Africa, Indonesia, Ireland and the Panama Canal. Winnie was all about family and she and Gil enjoyed entertaining their large family at their home for wonderful dinners and celebrations at holidays and special occasions. She was a wonderful daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and friend.

Winnie is survived by her husband Gilbert, her sister Carmen Walrath, daughter Laura Smith (Joshua), son Richard Kemp, step-daughter Barbara DeChene (Skip), step-son Steven (Cindy), six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on Sunday, December 19th at 2:00 pm at Acacia Memorial Park & Funeral Home. To honor her in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Childhaven.

Arrangements under the direction of Acacia Memorial Park & Funeral Home, Seattle, Washington.