Obituary of Patricia Greene

Patricia A. “Pat” Greene (nee Williams), age 79, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones on Wednesday evening, August 26, 2020, after courageously battling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Pat was the eldest child of Ralph Lee and Mary Ann (Levy) Williams, born on May 19, 1941, in St. Louis, MO. She graduated from Maplewood - Richmond Heights High School in 1959. On February 13, 1960, she married her beloved high school sweetheart, Dick Greene, with whom she recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They moved to Dallas, TX in 1963 where they raised two children, Richard Greene and Dana Greene. Pat wore many hats and touched numerous lives over the years. Some in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch area will remember her as the school crossing guard that greeted them each morning with her warm and gracious smile. Others may have fond memories of buying their first bike from the family-owned “Raleigh Bicycle Centre” where she always had her Welsh Corgi, Cricket, in tow. However, there is no doubt that she touched the most lives in her twenty-plus-year career at Scherer/ Colgate Palmolive in Sales and Human Resources. Her office had a revolving door where she always found time to offer not only professional but personal guidance, counsel, wisdom, and support to all that sought it from her. Pat’s family is what she valued and treasured above all else. The most precious time in her life began almost 26 years ago when she became a grandmother or as most of you know “Babu!” She was a tremendous grandmother to Sarah and always kept things real. She not only taught but demonstrated that each of us must live our lives fully with purpose, passion, confidence, and love. She was involved and supported Sarah in all her activities from Brownies to ballet. She shared and instilled her love of travel and the arts. But the best trait she passed on to her granddaughter, which she had gotten to witness, was her legendary spirit which was and is an undeniable, incontestable, and unwavering force to be all you can be and stay true to yourself. After retirement, Pat and Dick enjoyed traveling the country to dog shows in their RV. She loved her fur babies and grandbabies, especially her Border Terriers. She took great pride in supporting Dick in competing in Earthdog Trails, Confirmation, and Obedience, in which their dogs became champions. Their Border Terrier family has been a tremendous support to them over the years as they both battled health issues. Pat and Dick also became very involved with their church family in their retirement years. Finding both purpose and support through their involvement. She was a woman with many long-term friendships she cherished. She still kept in touch with several childhood friends but many of her Dallas friendships date back over 60 years. She had several close circles of friends which ranged from bible study to Al-Anon to her ladies dinners. She also had her traveling buddies who were always up for an adventure. They loved cruises and traveling through Europe. Her favorite place to visit was NYC. She spent a lot of time in NYC because of her career and Sarah’s summer ballet camps. Her eyes always sparkled when she spoke of NYC and you could see how much she loved the energy, broadway musicals, plays, and art museums, but the best part of NYC, which she took great pride in, was getting to share it with Sarah. Pat is survived by her husband, Dick Greene; son, Richard Greene and daughter-in-law Susan, daughter, Dana Greene, and two grandchildren: Gaberial Greene and Sarah Bulba, along with many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. In June 2019 Pat was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It would be wrong to say she lost her battle with the disease because she never stopped fighting. Instead, she surrendered to it and lived each day with grace and dignity. No matter how she felt, she was always determined. As her body weakened, her spirit strengthened, faith deepened, and zest for life never wavered. She will always be carried in the warmest parts of our hearts. We will honor her every time we are brave, witty, chase dreams, love fiercely, enjoy travel, live as art because her example has inspired us all. The family wishes to thank the physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Willow Bend Family Medicine, and Aspen Home Health for their care and dedication. In addition to the support, we have received from other ALS families, MDA, ALS Association of Texas, and The ALS Living Fund. But most importantly we must thank God for connecting us with the caretakers that made this journey possible. They will forever hold a special place in our hearts and I know like many of us fell in love with her. The family has requested In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Pat’s memory to The ALS Living Fund, either online or by mail to 7454 Fossil Ridge Drive, Frisco, TX 75034. This organization supported and guided Pat and her family from the beginning to the end, we cannot give back or thank them enough. If using a computer, please look to the left of your screen and click on The ALS Living Fund, or if using a phone, the link will show as a "drop down" button.