Vernon Darryl Green

The fourth of five children born to Myrtle Idella (Whitworth) Green and Henry Clay Green. Vernon was born in Indianapolis, Oklahoma which was a whistle stop on the railroad that consisted of only 7 houses and a general store.

Vernon would recall, one of his first memories was deciding that he was going to go to school at the age

of 4. He would follow his siblings onto the school bus only to be dragged off of the bus kicking and screaming the whole time.

However at the age of 4, Vernon began to sing solos in church. This lead to an interest in music that would follow him throughout his life.

When Vernon did begin school, it was in a one room school house with grades 1 through 8. As Vernon's father worked for the railroad the family moved often.

In college Vernon majored in vocal music and was a member of Chamber Choir, Madrigal Singers, band and was choir president. He appeared in 7 operas and musical productions. In his senior year, Vernon played King Arthur in Camelot. He was also listed in Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.

In August 1968 Vernon enlisted in the Army, serving his country until August 1974

. While serving in Viet Nam, his off beat sense of humor surfaced again. Once when inspection loomed, Vernon decided to avoid cleaning the cobwebs from the rafters by claiming his pet spider lived there. At inspection time he pulled out the regulations and showed the one which gave soldiers permission to keep pets. He never had to dust the rafters again.

Another time, Vernon and some of his drunken friends decided the Air Force NCO club was nicer than theirs, so they took over the Air Force club tossing the Air Force non-coms out. The Army unit commander was called and he marched his errant soldiers back. The next morning they were put to work breaking rocks with sledge hammers.

After Viet Nam, Vernon returned to Southwestern Oklahoma State University for graduate school. It was during that time, while on stage during rehearsals for the opera H.M.S. Pinefore, Vernon met Sheila Carver. "It was love at first site" Sheila would recall after Vernon offered to punch out a fellow cast member who was teasing her in an inappropriate way.

The next semester they performed in The King and I and the following summer on August 1, 1971 they were married. Their family grew with first a daughter and then a son of which they became the center of their lives.

After grad school Vernon began teaching choir. Over the years he added other degrees and taught many other subjects from the elementary to college level. He taught industrial arts, auto mechanics, arts and crafts, ceramics, elementary math, reading and science. He also coached football and basketball and served as a high school principal, but music and performing were always his passion in life. Over the years, he played King Arthur in Camelot, Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, The King of Siam in The King and I, and Curley in Oklahoma plus many, many others.

He was a jack of many trades and he was a master of all of them. He built a 12 foot long computer keyboard to teach his students keyboarding skills. While coaching elementary basketball, Vernon once put a special needs girl who could barely walk into a game because she wanted very much to play. His only instructions to the other girls were to form a circle around her and make sure she didn't get hurt.

He was always a very kind, nurturing man to his wife, his children, his students and his co-workers, all who will miss him very much.

Vernon is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Sheila Green; his son, Darryl Alexander Green; daughter, Danielle Caitlin Green; his brother, Robert "Bob" Green and wife Charlotte; sister-in-laws, Lisa McLachlan, husband Mike and Teresa Green; nephews, Kenneth Brooks and wife Mackie, Raymond Bagby, wife Janice and Caleb Green; nieces, Donna Kellison, Teresa Payne and husband Mark, Mary Chrismon and Kaelyn Elkins and husband Rick; other family and many friends.

A Memorial Celebration of Vernon's life will held at 3:00 pm on Sunday, July 28, 2109 at

Theater Arlington, 316 W Main St, Arlington, TX 76010.

Inurnment will take place at Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery at a later date in October.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Pets for Vets, Inc., PO Box 10860, Wilmington, NC 28404.