George Greene

George Greene, Sergeant Major, U. S. Marine Corps, Retired, of Morganton, NC died Monday, July 30th, 2018. Born on August 26, 1922 in Mitchell County, NC, he was the son of the late Linten Greene and Beatrice Woody Greene.

He received the first Eagle Scout award of the Toe River District of the Daniel Boone Council of Western NC, Boy Scouts of America.

He attended Bowman High School in Bakersville, NC and graduated from Western Piedmont Community College, Gardner Webb University and attended East Carolina University.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on July 31, 1941 and was placed on the U. S. Marine Corps Retired list on August 31, 1971. He served in World War II in the North Atlantic, European, North African campaigns as well as in the Central and South Pacific, were he survived the sinking of the aircraft carrier USS Wasp.  He also served in Korea during the first years of that conflict.

After retiring from the Marine Corps, he returned to his beloved mountains of western NC as a founding staff member and General Manager of NC Outward Bound School at Table Rock-Linville Gorge.

After leaving the Outward Bound School he was employed as the Correctional Administrative Service Manager at Western Correction Center in Morganton, retiring after 17 years of service.

He was a member of Morganton First Baptist Church for over 40 years. He was a life member of the Morganton Optimist Club, member of Post 21 of the American Legion, charter and life member of the Table Rock Detachment of the Marine Corps League; and life member of the Masonic Lodge #242, Port Royal, SC for over 60 years.

He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Mary Louise Thomas Greene; son Thomas L. Greene of Red Hook, New York; daughters, Linda L. Greene Hedquist and spouse, John, of Wilmington, NC, Karen L. Greene and spouse, Del Stephens, of Seattle, WA; granddaughter, Kelty-Brooke Bailey and spouse, Addison J. Raine, of Chapel Hill, NC, grandson, Aaron Larssen Greene Hedquist of Washington, D.C.; great-granddaughter, Montgomery Kate Raine of Chapel Hill; and devoted caregiver, Rachel Morgan of Morganton.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Linton B. Greene, Jr.; and a sister, Anna Jane Greene Madill.

The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m., Saturday, August 4, 2018 at First Baptist Church.  The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. in the church with Rev. Fred Schuszler officiating.  The graveside service will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday at Lily Branch Baptist Church in Bakersville with military honors provided by the U.S. Marine Corps.

Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children (https//donate.lovetotherescue.org/give/158250), Burke Hospice & Palliative Care (www.burkehospice.org), and UNC Paws (https://give.unc.edu/donate).

Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.