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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E266-E267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN MEMORY OF MR. W. PARKER GREENE, SR.
______
HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.
of georgia
in the house of representatives
Thursday, March 7, 2019
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a
distinguished and staunch advocate for our nation's military, and dear
friend of longstanding, Mr. W. Parker Greene, Sr. Sadly, Mr. Greene
passed away on Tuesday, December 18, 2018, at the age of 86. He leaves
behind an impeccable legacy of service that will never be forgotten. A
memorial service will be held for Mr. Greene at Moody Air Force Base on
Thursday, March 14, 2019, at 10 a.m.
Woodbridge Parker Greene, Sr. was born on December 3, 1932, to the
union of the late Woodbridge and Mildred Parker Greene in Thomaston,
Georgia. A product of the Upson County Public School System, he
graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1951 and went on to attend
the Georgia Institute of Technology. He later served in the U.S. Army
from 1953 to 1955. During that time, he was assigned to the Safety
Education Division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety
[[Page E267]]
where he made safety presentations to schools and civic groups. He was
also part of President Eisenhower's Georgia security detail. After
honorably serving his country, Mr. Greene continued his studies at the
University of Georgia, majoring in Business Administration, and at
Northwestern University, where he attended business seminars. He spent
the next 29 years of his career as a regional manager for Rhodes
Furniture Company.
Mr. Greene's dedication to the military continued after his
retirement. He was the first Squadron Commander of the ``White
Knuckle'' Squadron, a unit formed by local civic leaders who have
received orientation flights in Moody Air Force Base (AFB) aircraft. In
1991, he helped establish the Moody Support Group, which was
instrumental in strengthening the relationships between the local
community and the Air Force. As the Executive Director of the group, he
helped protect Moody AFB from closure. In 2000, he was appointed to the
Georgia Military Affairs Committee by then Governor Roy Barnes.
In conjunction with his professional accomplishments, Mr. Greene was
heavily involved in his community, serving as the Chairman (1972-85) of
the Military Affairs Committee and Vice President (1978-79) of the
Valdosta/Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce; on the Board of Directors
for the Valdosta State College/University Foundation; and as an active
member of the ACC Commander's Air Power Support Group, the National
Civic Leader Group for the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, Rotary
International, the Kiwanis Clubs of America, the Boy Scouts of America,
the Young Men's Christian Association, the Moody AFB Red Carpet
Committee, the University of Georgia Gridiron Society, and the Sigma
Alpha Epsilon Alumnae organization. In addition to his extensive
community involvement, he was also a faithful member of the First
United Methodist Church in Valdosta, where he once served on the
Administrative Board.
Mr. Greene received several prestigious awards for his dedicated
civic service, including the Distinguished Citizen award from the
Alapaha Area Boy Scout Council (2000); the first-ever Chief of Staff of
the Air Force Award for Exceptional Public Service (2007); and the Air
Force Distinguished Public Service Award (2009), the highest honor the
Air Force can bestow upon a civilian. Additionally, a portion of Bemiss
Road from Valdosta to Moody AFB (W. Parker Greene Highway, 2005) and
Moody AFB's headquarters (W. Parker Greene Base Support Center, 2007)
were named in his honor.
Mr. Greene achieved much in his life, but none of it would have been
possible without the love and support of his loving wife, Lucy; his
children, Sharon and Woodbridge Jr.; and a host of family and friends
who will miss him deeply.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ``Life's most persistent and
urgent question is, `What are you doing for others?' '' Mr. Greene
undoubtedly lived by this philosophy. From his extensive work with the
development of Moody AFB to his efforts to provide a bridge between the
military and civilians, his work made a tremendous impact on the lives
of many.
On a personal note, I was privileged to work with Parker for over 26
years in behalf of Moody AFB and have not encountered a more committed
citizen to his community and Nation.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian, and me,
along with the more than 730,000 people in Georgia's Second
Congressional District in paying tribute to Mr. W. Parker Greene, Sr.
for a life well lived and in extending our deepest sympathies to his
family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time of
bereavement. Moreover, we pray that they will be consoled and comforted
by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks, and months
ahead.
____________________
