Elbert Dennis Green

Elbert was born April 16, 1924, in Elmore City, OK. He passed away on November 30, 2010, at the Pauls Valley General Hospital at the age of 86 years, 7 months and 14 days. Elbert’s parents were John Harrison and Cloie (Shanks) Green and had three brothers, John, Garfield, and Carl and one sister, Louise, who all preceded him in death. In 1929 the family moved to Wynnewood from a farm in Elmore City and then to Bridgeport, Texas for one year in 1933. The family then returned to Wynnewood where he has lived the remainder of his life except for one year and his military service years. In 1930 when Elbert was 6 years old, his father moved the family to Bridgeport, TX, where his Uncle Elbert (his namesake) lived, to start work in the cattle business. After almost 2 years in Bridgeport, Elbert’s father decided the cattle business was not going to work out and moved the family back to Oklahoma. His parents and their 5 children then embarked on a 10 day cattle drive with 200 cattle, one pickup truck and 2 horses. The family drove the cattle all the way from Bridgeport to Wynnewood where Elbert’s mother’s family lived. There they sold the cattle and settled in Wynnewood. When Elbert was 10 years old his singing school teacher directed and organized a band with Elbert, his two brothers and sister where Elbert played the mandolin. The Green Band, as they were known, performed at singing schools and sometimes on the Ada, Oklahoma, radio station. Elbert began playing the clarinet when he was in the 5th grade and was also second chair in High School. In 1941 and 1942 his high school band went to competition with other state high school bands in Enid, OK. Elbert’s band won the state sweepstakes for Marching two years in a row in 1941 and 1942. Elbert was selected to the All State band in both his junior and senior years and also played a clarinet solo at his high school graduation. He was a 1942 graduate of Wynnewood High School and attended Oklahoma State University, then Oklahoma A&M, in Stillwater, OK. He entered the military in January of 1943, in the U.S. Army Air Corps and served for 2 years 10 months and 11 days. He took basic training at Keesler Field, Biloxi, MS then went to Chanute Field, IL, where he graduated from Teletype Maintenance School. He was shipped to New Orleans, LA, to a Replacement Depot at Lake Panchatrain. His unit traveled by convoy to Brookley Field, Mobile, AL Elbert spent 28 months at Brookley Field after World War II was over. It was here that he met the love of his life, Ima Mae Merriman. He was hen stationed at Fort Leavenworth, KS, and was there for three months before being honorably discharged. Elbert was 18 when he was drafted and discharged at 21 years of age. Upon discharge Elbert returned to Mobile, Alabama, in the Spring of 1947 and he and Ima became engaged. They were married on August 31, 1947, at the First Baptist Church in Prichard, AL (a Mobile suburb). The couple have been residents of Wynnewood since that time except for one year in 1964 when the family lived in Shattuck, OK. Elbert’s father, John Green, established the Green Broom Company in 1937 on a farm south of Elmore City. About ten days after Elbert and his brother Garfield were discharged from the service, their father passed away. For 12 years the two brothers were co-owners and partners in the Green Broom Company. Elbert sold his half of the business to his brother on January 1, 1959, and he became a Broom Corn buyer for approximtely three years. He then went to Detroit, Michigan, to supervise a broom factory for two months. He was offered a job there but just could not leave Oklahoma, so he returned to Wynnewood and then took the Superentindent position of a Broom Corn processing plant in Shattuck, OK in July 1964 to July 1965. This was only the second Broom Corn processing plant in the United States at that time. In July 1965, Elbert moved his family from Shattuck back to Wynne wood where he built a commercial building and opened a White’s Home and Auto Store, which he and his wife, Ima, operated for 17 years. During that 17 years Ima, would keep the store while Elbert built a convenience store and a commerical building which he leased to a grocery store in Wynnewood and he also built laundry building in Pauls Valley. Ima and Elbert sold the White’s Home and Auto business in 1983 to a local business man and leased the building back to him. After selling the store business, they continued to lease their commercial buildings and added other buildings and houses to their rental portfolio, which Ima and Elbert have continued to manage. Elbert served on the Wynnewood City Council for five years and resigned when they moved to Shattuck. When he returned to Wynnewood from his year in Shattuck, the mayor and city council appointed Elbert to form a board for the First Wynnewood Housing Authority. Elbert was appointed as the first Chairman of the Board and he served in this capacity for approximately 10 years until he resigned. During the 1960’s Elbert attended and graduated from the Dale Carnegie School which was held in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. A major highlight for Elbert while servicing on the Wynnewood City Council was when they worked with Sulphur, Davis, and Daughtery, Okla, to get the Lake of the Arbuckles project started and built. Elbert became a Christian in April 1948 and has been a faithful member of the First Baptist Church since that time, where he also has served in many positions and also sang in the church choir for several years. Elbert really did love music and he loved the Lord. Elbert’s hobbies are reading, traveling the world, and sports. He and Ima enjoyed traveling extensively, including 10 cruises. They have visited 37 foreign countries and all states in the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. One of the highlights of Elbert’s life was the 50th year reunion of his 1942 high school graduating class. This was when he and Ima hosted his classmates in their home for dinners and lunches the weekend of the Alumni Banquet at the Wynnewood High School. Ima has been notified that Elbert’s high school class will be honoring him with the planting of 3 trees in his memory by the National Arbor Day Foundation. Elbert and Ima were married 63 years this past August and were blessed with 3 children: Phyllis, Pat and Dennis who all attended Wynnewood schools and graduated from Wynnewood High School, just like their dad. Elbert is survived by his wife Ima, of the home, daughter and husband, Phyllis and Michael Courtney of Ft. Collins, CO; daughter Pat Milliken of Dallas, Texas, and son and daughter-in-law, Dennis and Dominique Green of Phoenix, Az. Seven granddaughters: Michelle and husband Bill Scott of Kansas City, MO, Angela Gimlin of Nashville, TN, Amy and husband Dr. Jason Albracht of Round Rock, TX, Julia and husband Gene Rhie of Philadelphia, PA, Sarah and husband Ben Schauf of Austin, TX, Allison Milliken of Dallas, TX, and Vanessa Williams and husband Trey of Phoenix, AZ; three great grandchildren: Hunter Albract, Katie Scott and Mia Rhie, as well as many cousins, nephews, and nieces. Elbert will be remembered for his always ready smile, quick wit, great sense of humor, his jokes and quirkey sayings that his kids loving refer to as “Elbert-isms.” He will REALLY be missed………………. Services will be held Saturday December 4, 2010 at 1:30 pm at the First Baptist Church in Wynnewood, OK officiated by Rev. Wayne Wall. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery under the direction of DeArman Funeral Home of Wynnewood, OK.

Tributes

Elbert Dennis Green

April 16, 1924 - November 30, 2010