John F. Greene
John Farrell Greene, of North Pole, Alaska, died Thursday, June 5, 2014, at his home. A memorial graveside service was held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 12, 2014, at West End Cemetery, conducted by the Rev. Charles Hinson.
John was born Nov. 25, 1956, in Pinehurst, to John and Mary Baughn Greene. He graduated from Union Pines High School and attended Sandhills Community College and the University of Alaska.
He joined the Air Force in 1977. After training in Texas and Illinois, he served in the Philippines, Tinker AFB, on the AWACS in Saudi Arabia, and other places in Europe and Asia. He moved to Eielson AFB in Fairbanks in 1982.
After his time in the Air Force, John went to work for BLM, where he worked until his retirement in 2013. At the time of his retirement he was transportation manager for Northern Alaska. He was especially proud of his work at BLM and his many friends and associates there. When helping to write his obituary, he said he would be remiss not to say how much he loved Alaska.
John was preceded in death by his father.
He is survived by his wife, Lyssa; stepson Nick; his mother; a sister, Libby Woodard, and a brother, Matthew, all of Moore County. Also surviving are four nephews; his first wife and friend, Kim Smith Greene; a large extended family, most of whom are in North Carolina; and a host of friends, both in Alaska and North Carolina.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you do a kind deed for someone.
SSGT JOHN GREENE
MAR 77 – JUN 77 TECH SCHOOL/CHANUTE AFB, IL
JUN 77 – SEP 78 CLARK AB, RPI
SEP 78 – JAN 82 TINKER AFB, OK
JAN 82 – JAN 86 EIELSON AFB, AK
I had the opportunity to meet John in the late 80s after he separated from the AF – he was responsible for training Mike Sowa (my first trainer). Mike and I went over to his house for a get-together and I remember John had a keg of beer sunk into a snow bank. He seemed like a pretty cool dude…I hate to hear that he passed.