Jack Greene passed away at home on December 2, 2020. Friends and neighbors report that Jack was feeling healthy, even making plans to see them in the near future, just a few days before his death.
He was born in Grand Rapids on July 27, 1947, and lived most of his life in the area. He also spent time around Baldwin, MI. In later years, he lived with his mother, Johanna Greene, in East Grand Rapids until her death. He was a kindhearted caregiver and beloved son.
Jack graduated from South High School in 1965. He attended Ferris State College, where he served as student body president, for training as a printer, but decided that the trade was not for him. He started work in home renovation and became a contractor, a profession he continued until late in his life. Much of his work was devoted to restoring historic homes in the Heritage Hill area. He was a master craftsman with a loyal number of clients.
He traveled extensively in the US, and even lived for a year in Florida before returning to West Michigan. He also spent a season in Alaska, panning for gold. In his later years, he spoke about wanting to assist on archaeological digs in the eastern US.
He was an avid gardener, investigating plant material in catalogs, local garden centers, and greenhouses. He was also an avid reader of ancient to current history, archaeology, and environmental studies. He eagerly awaited the coming of hummingbirds and made a welcoming habitat for them, doves, and other birds. In the last month of his life, he planted more than 100 bulbs in anticipation of spring.
Jack was a private man, but with a circle of very close friends. He was kind, always there when needed, and seldom upset though not wanting to say no to anyone. He embodied integrity and honesty. On the job, he always valued high standards for his work over quickness of completion.
He leaves no offspring but will be very much missed by his surviving cousins and his friends.
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