Don Green

Donald Eugene “Don” Green passed away peacefully Sunday, December 11th, 2016, with his loving wife, Simone Menu Green and daughters, Sandra Green and Sylvie Green Shapero, at his sides. He had come home two days prior for hospice care following untreatable complications of a major stroke he suffered on November 30th.

Don was born in Estelline, South Dakota, and grew up on a farm in nearby Strandburg. He enjoyed riding horses, especially “his” named Red. Don was a high school band leader, playing the trumpet, and an athlete on the basketball and track and field teams at Strandburg High School. He graduated in 1964 and joined the Air Force at the age of 18.

Don completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio then an additional seven weeks of training in Amarillo, Texas. His first permanent assignment was in Wichita, Kansas, for nine months before he was stationed in Europe. Don met his wife Simone while stationed at Chambley Air Force Base in France near her village of Mars la Tour, Lorraine. They were married on March 8th, 1968 after he was re-deployed to Aviano Air Force Base in Italy for 19 months. Don was stationed at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, prior to serving one 12-month tour of duty at Tuy-Hoa Air Base in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970. Their first daughter, Sandra, was born after his return on April 26th, 1971 on Fort Dix while he was stationed at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey.

Don was stationed at Spangdahlem Air Force Base in Germany from 1971 until 1977. Their second daughter, Sylvie, was born on August 16th, 1973 on Bitburg Air Force Base. During those years, the family was able to spend time visiting Simone’s mother and eight brothers and sisters and their children in France. Don enjoyed learning to speak French, camping, and sight-seeing in Europe.

He served 20 years in the Air Force, the last seven at Holloman Air Force Base as a space fuels specialist, where he retired in 1984. Don moved his family to the San Antonio area in the summer of 1984 to be near his close friends, John and Jeanne Hudgeons, who lived in Cuero, Texas, at that time. Don purchased the family home in Kirby. He began his career as a professional truck driver with Mission Petroleum Carriers, Fitz Freight, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, and Crete Carrier. Don drove within all the lower 48 states and Canada and often visited with former Air Force buddies, family and friends while on the road. He was the proud recipient of the Million Mile Safety Award with J.B. Hunt and the Five Years Accident Free Driving and Commitment to Excellence Awards with Crete.

Don saw his daughters both graduate from Judson High School in Converse, Texas. Sandra completed her undergraduate work at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and Sylvie completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at California State University at Northridge, then her Masters of Fine Arts at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

After his retirement from truck driving in 2010, Don travelled to visit family and friends on many road trips. He spent his free time watching western movies and old episodes of Bonanza. He loved to cook big breakfasts and barbecue. He could often be found up and down the street talking to neighbors and helping them with their yardwork. The stray cats of the area all got names, attention, and food at the Green house because of Don.

Don and Simone travelled as often as possible to visit their elder daughter, Sandra, and twin granddaughters, Samantha and Elizabeth Lim (15), in Los Angeles and their younger, Sylvie, and her husband, Don Lee, and three children, Ida (12), and twins, Mira and Elias (10) in Virginia Beach.

Don always considered South Dakota to be home. He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Marion Green, and is survived by his three siblings, JoAnn Berglund, Judith Kos (and her husband, Terry), and David Green (and his wife, Charlotte).

Visitation will be from 5-8PM Tuesday, December 20th, his 71st birthday, at Sunset Funeral Home, 1701 Austin Highway, San Antonio, TX 78218. The funeral service will be in the Sunset Chapel at 9AM on Wednesday, December 21st with interment following via procession at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 10:45AM.