Frances Erlene Washburn Greene

Frances Erlene Washburn Greene was born on Easter Sunday, 1926 on a farm in Lattimore, NC. She was the second oldest in a family of nine children. Her childhood was shaped by hard work in the cotton field, plenty of playmates, and parents who introduced her to the Lord Jesus. After earning her degree at Boiling Springs, she moved to the big city of Charlotte to work for the largest bank in the region at that time. She married Roy Greene in 1947 and together they raised four children. The family moved to Bradenton in 1956. Erlene possessed many gifts, but most prominent were her creativity and seemingly boundless supply of energy and ideas. As a young woman, she learned to fly and successfully achieved her solo flight. In college, she was an enthusiastic member of the women's basketball team. In her 70's, she wanted to go bungee jumping, but her daughter's impassioned pleas kept her from going through with it. She was always learning, exploring, inventing, creating and planning. Her homemade hats never ceased to draw compliments from total strangers; her cooking prowess is legendary-creamed corn from scratch and the best banana pudding ever concocted. Over the years, she worked in such diverse jobs as waitress, keypunch operator, USPS warehouse worker, EKG technician at Manatee Memorial, and personnel director for the City of Palmetto, where she retired in December, 1994. Along the way, her giving and mischievous nature won many friends, but the love of God and family were always uppermost in her heart. With Jesus as her foundation, Erlene never shrank from a challenge. She could grow anything, cook anything, fix anything, welcome anyone, and keep looking forward to what the next day would bring. She's now enjoying a much deserved rest, and we who were introduced to Jesus through her careful shepherding know we will see her again. Until then, enjoy Paradise, Mama. We love you. Survivors include her husband, Roy; her children; Roy Greene, Jr., Michael Greene, Debora Ulrey and Morgan Greene, Sr.; 7 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Saturday April 8, 2017 at 2:00 PM in the old sanctuary of First Baptist of Bradenton, 1306 Manatee Avenue W. Bradenton. To send a condolence to the family, please visit www.toalebrothers.com. Arrangements by Toale Brothers Funeral Homes, Bradenton Chapel.

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Frances Erlene Washburn Greene

March 12, 2017