Ima Mae Green

Ima Mae (Merriman) Green was born to John Luman and Gladdene (Whisenhant) Merriman on April 1, 1927, in Monroeville, Alabama. Ima attended grade schools in both Excel and Uria, Alabama, and High School at Frisco City, Alabama. She was a straight A-student, member of the National Honor Society and played basketball on the Varsity Team. She was the 3rd child of 8 siblings, who have always maintained very close relationships while all living in different states across the U.S. God and family were her lifelong priorities and principles. She loved the Lord and her strong Christian faith led her daily. Ima was beautiful inside and out. She passed away peacefully on November 22, 2022, with family by her side. The family moved to Mobile, Alabama, in 1944, when she was 17 years old. It was there that Ima enrolled and graduated from the Post Business School in Mobile. She took her first job as a civilian Secretary-Stenographer (shorthand and transcription) at Brookley Field Air Force Base in Mobile. It was here that she met her future husband; a young, handsome Corporal, named Elbert Green, from Wynnewood, Oklahoma. After World Ward II was over she worked as a Secretary at the First National Bank in downtown Mobile. She was employed there until she and Elbert were married in Mobile on August 31, 1947. Elbert then swept Ima away from big, bustling Mobile to small town Wynnewood, Oklahoma, where they always lived except for one year (1964-1965) in Shattuck, Oklahoma. After moving to Wynnewood, Ima took a job in Pauls Valley as a Legal Secretary for two years until the birth of their first child, Phyllis Ann, and then one year later was joined by daughter, Patsy Beth. Son, Dennis Allen, then arrived six years later. She was a very talented and gifted seamstress and for several years enjoyed making clothes for her two daughters and herself. Ima was a Certified Laubach Method Tutor, working with non-reading adults. She was a Charter member of the Wynnewood Literacy Chapter. For four years, 1984-1987, she served as the local (volunteer) Campaign Chairperson of fund raising for the American Heart Association. She was a Certified Color Analyst and makeup consultant for Luzier cosmetics for 32 years. Ima was a Life Member of Beta Sigma Phi and served in various positions including President and Recording Secretary. Ima became a Christian at age 13 and was baptized in the Oakdale Baptist Church, Frisco City, Alabama. She and Elbert were active, life long members of the First Baptist Church in Wynnewood, since their marriage in 1947. Through the years she had served as Sunday School Teacher, Girls Auxiliary leader and in several offices for the church and on committees. In 1965, Ima and Elbert opened a retail store, Whites Auto, which they owned and operated for 17 years until they sold the business. They then went into residential and commercial rental property business; owning and managing up to 17 properties at one time. During the last 12 years since her beloved husband passed, Ima managed their properties until two years ago. Ima and Elbert really enjoyed traveling and adventures. At the tender ago of 65, she learned how to downhill snow ski, which she and Elbert really liked doing together. In their RV, they visited family, many locations and sites in the United States and Canada over several years. Seeing all 50 states and abroad they visited 38 countries on 10 different cruises and 3 trips by air, was one of the highlights of Ima and Elbert’s long, loving marriage of 63 years until his death 12 years ago, Nov. 30, 2010. Ima believed in family values and family strength during times of happiness and sorrow. She led a life guided daily with her priorities of God, Family and friendships mattering the most. She thought that anything worth doing was worthy of giving your best and always follow through to the end. One of her great joys was family times, birthdays, holidays and family reunions (there were many) and were very special to her. Ima loved her family fervently, especially her husband, children, grandchildren and then a special treat of great-grandchildren. She and Elbert were a shining example of a loving, supportive Christian marriage. They were so much stronger and happier together than apart. She was blessed with a close and loving family, wonderful friends, and a long, very full and large life. Ima cherished her Alabama roots and was always the personification of a strong, independent, lovely, gracious, maternal, pious Southern Belle. She is survived by daughter Phyllis Courtney (Ft. Collins, Colorado), son Dennis (Dominique, who was the gift of her third daughter) Green (Wynnewood); grandchildren Angela (Jeff Ward) Gimlin (Nashville, Tenn), Amy (Jason) Albracht (Leander, Texas), Julia Rhie (Austin, Texas), Sarah (Mark) Fletcher (Austin, Texas), Allison (Wes) Williams, Dallas. Ima so loved her ten great-grandchildren, Hunter and Hadley Albracht, Mia, Ryan and Elise Rhie, Luke, Logan, Lexi, Leland and Livia Williams. The family would like to thank the staff at Willows Assisted Living Residence, Pauls Valley, and Artesian Home, Sulphur, who assisted in Ima’s caregiving for the past two years, when she moved from her family home.

Tributes

Ima Mae Green

April 1, 1927 - November 22, 2022