1926-2011
On Oct. 5, 1926 on a small farm in Hale Center, Texas, Mary Ophelia Copeland Green gave birth to a little boy, the sixth of her seven children. The proud father was her husband, Elijah Edward Green. They named their new son William David. But he was never to be called that name except by telemarketers and other complete strangers.
Maybe William David was too long, or too formal, or maybe southern mothers just like to give their babies nicknames. Whatever the reason, Mary began calling her little boy by his initials W. D. When baby brother Gene started talking he couldn’t say all of the initials… only Dub, and that name stuck. For the rest of his life, from everyone who really knew or loved him, to the name on his bowling shirt, he was Dub.
Dub enjoyed the blessings of belonging to a loving, close family. He told us that one of his favorite memories was doing things with his brothers and sisters. They enjoyed each other all of their lives.
Like all of his siblings, Dub was expected to help out on the family farm where they were very self-sufficient. They ate what they grew… or shot. No one could ever equal the biscuits made by his mother. And biscuits smothered in creamy sausage gravy was one of Dub’s favorite breakfasts all of his life.
Dub excelled in bowling and billiards. Dub was always in a bowling league and had countless trophies. He once bowled an almost perfect game.
Our Dad left high school at age 17 to join the army and serve in WWII. However, as he finished basic training the war was over. So his company went to Japan as part of the occupation forces. He enjoyed the camaraderie of his company, the adventure of sailing on a ship to a foreign country, and could remember some Japanese even at age 85.
When he returned from Japan, his family had moved from Texas to Safford, Arizona. There he met his future bride, Lenora Josephine Sorrells. She turned out to be the girl next store and little sister of his best friend, Bill.
When asked what he first thought of Lynn he brightened and said with enthusiasm, “She was a doll!” They met at a club where Lynn and her brother Bill went to dance. She loved to jitterbug and was pretty disappointed to learn that Dub had two left feet.
They were married on July 31, 1948. They were sealed for time and eternity in the Salt Lake Temple November 17th, 1972.
In 1952 the family moved to Lawndale California and Dub found an entry level job with Morrison Machine Company as a burr hand. All he did all day long was smooth off the rough edges of metal parts. He stuck with it and eventually was able to become an apprentice and then advance himself to a master machinist. He was a perfectionist in his work and took pride in making precision parts for airplanes and for the first space shuttle.
When Lynn passed away in 2007 they had been married for 59 years.Their daughter Beavelyn died unexpectedly of cancer 18 months after Lynn passed away.
Life is hard. But our loving father and grandfather endured all his trials with great dignity, patience and faith; and through them all became better instead of bitter. His faith enabled him to always have a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye as he looked forward to being reunited with his wife and family.
We will miss him.