Captain George W. Greene
George (Bill) Greene, age 90, passed away on November 12th in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is survived by Patricia, his wife of 67 years, three loving children and their spouses, and a half dozen grandchildren.
The son of Baptist missionaries, Bill was born in Hong Kong and grew up in China, Hong Kong, and the Philippines until the onset of WWII, then in Alabama and North Carolina.
Bill valued education and took every opportunity to learn and grow. He attended both Wake Forest and the U.S. Naval Academy, where he received a Bachelor’s in Engineering. He earned advanced degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, Business Administration from Auburn University, and Healthcare Management from the University of Wisconsin.
Bill served his country in the U.S. Navy for 34 years in destroyers, diesel submarines, and nuclear-powered submarines. As a young officer, Bill was on the first nuclear submarine to visit Japan. He was Navigator on USS Seadragon (SSN-584) for the historic first under-ice rendezvous and joint surfacing of two submarines at the North Pole in 1962. Bill served as Commanding Officer of the USS Permit (SSN-594). Ashore, Bill served in various staff, Joint Service, and NATO tours at home and abroad. He also served in academia as Professor of Strategic Studies at the US Air Force War College and as Professor of Naval Science at the University of Wisconsin.
After retiring from the Navy in 1985, Bill and his family moved to Charlottesville, his home for the next 38 years. Here, he enjoyed a business management position with UVA Health, followed by an active and rewarding retirement on the tennis court, in the garden, and in the company of wonderful neighbors and good friends. Bill remained active in the community and continued contributing to professional service organizations, including the Navy League and Military Officers Association of America.
Bill’s faith was the bedrock of his life. His dedication to God reflected in his daily life and active roles at St. Paul’s Ivy, including serving on the Vestry.
Bill’s legacy of service, education, faith, and family continues. His three children are happily married. His daughter holds a PhD and is a tenured college Professor of Biological of Environmental Science. His two sons also proudly served as U.S. Navy officers and have had successful careers in the diplomatic and business worlds.
Bill will be remembered for his warm and gentle nature, good humor, razor sharp mind, word play, sportsmanship, and love of friends and family. Our world is a lesser place without him.
In lieu of flowers, the family ask that well-wishers send a donation to the Hospice of the Piedmont or the parish of Saint Paul’s, Ivy.
