Dr. Green had retired from teaching at what was then University of Texas at Brownsville after a career that spanned forty years. His work as a scholar and linguist was precious to him and it continued after his retirement. At the time of his death, he was involved in researching his novel theories related to prehistoric cave paintings, a subject about which he planned to write a book. His interest in the subject was sparked by a trip to Spain during which he encountered cave paintings he was sure he could read as a form of early language.
Dr. Green traveled extensively. There was hardly a corner of the Western Hemisphere not familiar to him. He spoke often about an over land trip in an old Volkswagen Beetle between Argentina and the United States he undertook in 1967. He was particularly fond of Western Europe, having lived and traveled extensively throughout Germany, France and the Iberian Peninsula.
Dr. Green was a veteran of the United States Army. He served with the 7th Army, and was stationed in Germany. It was there that his love of language began to take hold. He studied at the Munich Interpreters Institute and became certified in translation between German and English and Spanish and English, a function he performed during his time in the service.
Dr. Green continued his study of language at Columbia University in New York, earning several degrees including a Ph.d. in Latin American Literature in 1976. By then, he spoke five languages. He accepted a teaching position in Brownsville, Texas shortly thereafter.
There, he met a lovely young student, Lucila Bermudez. She became his wife a year later. It was the beginning of a 46 year partnership rooted in deep love and affection.
Dr. Green’s legacy of scholarship will live on in his published works in both English and Spanish. He was a prolific poet. In 1999, he published what is considered one of the seminal works on the poetry of Ruben Dario, El Lenguaje Poético de Ruben Dario. He also reduced his teachings on translation and interpreting to writing in his textbook, Across: Introduction to Spanish-English Translation. It was published in 2014 and is still in use in university level studies.
Dr. Green was predeceased by his parents, the renowned nuclear physicist, Dr. George Kenneth (Ken) Green and Ida Huie Green. He is survived by his wife, Lucy Green, his children, Monica Green, Jorge (Shannon) Green, Carla Green (David Martínez) and Manuel (Melissa) Green and his grandchildren, Christian Green, Sebastian Green, Katherine Green, Daniel Green, Manolo Green and Gus Green.
There will be a remembrance service at 10am on January 6, at the chapel at Roselawn Cemetery with the burial to follow immediately thereafter.
